NEW DELHI: A parliamentary committee has asked the Union culture ministry to consider setting up a dedicated task force to ensure repatriation of stolen Indian artifacts from across the world.
The proposed “Heritage Recovery Task Force” should comprise diplomats, legal experts, archaeologists, and art historians, the department-related standing committee headed by Rajya Sabha Janata Dal United MP Sanjay Kumar Jha said in its report on the culture ministry.
The report was tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
“This multidisciplinary team would be dedicated exclusively to identifying, documenting, and pursuing claims for stolen Indian artifacts worldwide. The task force could develop comprehensive dossiers on priority items, including detailed provenance research, legal arguments for restitution, and cultural significance documentation to bolster India’s claims,” the report said.
The parliamentary committee also called upon the government to leverage India’s “growing economic and diplomatic influence to negotiate cultural property agreements with more countries”, and referred to the agreement signed between India and the United States in June 2024 which led to the repatriation of 297 antiquities in September.
These agreements should establish clear mechanisms for identifying looted artifacts, resolving disputes, and facilitating returns, the panel said.
“Special attention should be paid to former colonial powers like the United Kingdom, where many significant Indian treasures remain,” the committee of MPs said, recommending that the government tie finalisation of such agreements “to broader diplomatic and trade relationships, creating incentives for cooperation on repatriation issues”.
The report also recommended investment in advanced technology like AI-powered databases and DNA analysis to assist in provenance research and artifact authentication.
In a separate report on the ministry of tourism, the committee proposed that India come up with a “progressive visa liberalization roadmap” that systematically expands visa-free access based on strategic tourism priorities rather than conventional diplomatic reciprocity.
This would allow for visa-free access to high-priority markets based on factors such as spending patterns and length of stay. Additionally, the committee recommended introduction of a Digital Nomad Visa Program to attract long-term international visitors working remotely from India.
“An Advanced Traveler Authorization System” was also proposed to simplify entry for pre-approved visitors from key markets.
The committee flagged concerns over safety of women travellers in India, and recommended creation of an “Inter-Ministerial Women’s Tourism Safety Task Force” to develop safety protocols, monitoring systems, and emergency response measures. The report also suggested technology-driven solutions, such as GPS-enabled transportation monitoring, CCTV surveillance at popular tourist spots, and a centralised tourism safety app for real-time assistance.