First-Ever Cultural Property Agreement:
India and the US signed the first-ever Cultural Property Agreement (CPA) to combat the illegal trafficking of cultural artefacts and ensure the return of antiquarian objects to their place of origin.
- The agreement aligns with the Article 9 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property.
- The CPA restricts the importation into the US of certain archaeological and ethnological material ranging from 1.7 million years ago through 1947.
- The list of such items restricted for import will be promulgated by the Government of the US.
- The US shall offer to return to India any object or material on the Designate List forfeited to the Government of the US.
- Similar agreements exist between the US and countries like Algeria, Cambodia, China, Egypt, and Italy.
- The agreement is the result of year-long bilateral discussions initiated during the G20 meetings. Under India’s G20 Presidency, the focus on protecting cultural property has been a top priority.
- The Kashi Culture Pathway and the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration (NDLD) in 2023 underscored the commitment to fighting illicit trafficking.
- It marks a shift in the global development strategy, emphasising culture as a standalone goal in the post-2030 development framework.
