Return of cultural relics a global trend

Many lost artworks repatriated, a move backed by intl collaboration

The recent trend of repatriating artifacts was welcomed worldwide because the treasures can provide people with valuable insights into their country's history and help preserve a country's heritage, experts said.

On Friday, India announced it was set to embark on a major diplomatic campaign to retrieve thousands of artifacts, including one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, which had been removed from the country by Britain during the colonial period, The Telegraph reported.

The push to reclaim the treasures lost back in the days of the British Empire is said to "come from the top" echelons of Indian officials. The campaign is also reportedly on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's priority list, with one Telegraph source describing the initiative as "reckoning with the past".