- Sotheby's cancelled the planned auction of 334 ancient gems, known as the Piprahwa Gems, which are linked to the Buddha, and returned them to India.
- The relics, originally discovered in Piprahwa, Uttar Pradesh, were scheduled to be auctioned in Hong Kong for a starting bid of HK$100m (£9.7m).
- The Indian government exerted diplomatic and legal pressure, accusing Sotheby's of "participating in continued colonial exploitation" and stating the relics should be treated as sacred.
- India acquired the gems through a public-private partnership involving the government and Godrej Industries Group.
- The gems will be displayed at the National Museum in Delhi for five years and by Godrej Industries for three months, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling it a "joyous day for our cultural heritage".
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