India signed a ‘Cultural Property Agreement’ with which country to prevent and curb the illicit trafficking of antiquities?

On July 26, 2024, India and the USA signed their first-ever Cultural Property Agreement (CPA) to combat the illicit trafficking of antiquities. The agreement, signed by Shri Govind Mohan and U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti at the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, aligns with the 1970 UNESCO Convention. The CPA aims to secure India’s cultural heritage and return smuggled artifacts. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat highlighted India’s proactive efforts under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that 358 antiquities have been repatriated since 1976, with 345 returned since 2014.