Repatriation of Piprahwa Relics in India

• The Piprahwa relics, excavated in 1898, were resurfaced for auction by Sotheby’s in Hong Kong in May.

• The Indian government intervened to halt the auction and repatriate the relics, which now reside in the National Museum.

• The government’s coordinated diplomatic effort, involving multiple ministries and missions abroad, could have persuaded Sotheby’s to postpone or cancel the auction.

• The Godrej Industries Group’s acquisition of the relics reflects an innovative public-private partnership, combining private sector resources with state authority.

• The case revealed structural deficiencies in India’s framework to recover and safeguard its cultural assets.

• The case exposed the absence of robust international legal frameworks to prevent the sale of culturally sensitive objects.

• To address these gaps, India needs a centralized, digitised registry of cultural assets integrated with international customs and auction houses.

• The government could actively participate in international efforts to develop binding norms to prevent sacred relics from being commercialised.

• Scaling up public-private partnerships and encouraging stakeholder involvement is also imperative.