 "Kohinoor diamond coming back home? UK minister says ‘this is something I’ve discussed…' | Watch")
The United Kingdom and India are engaged in ongoing discussions over increased cooperation on cultural artefacts, including the potential for shared access to iconic items such as the Kohinoor diamond, U.K. Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy said during an official visit to New Delhi on Sunday (May 4).
“We’ve been talking between the UK and India for quite some time about the way that we think we can collaborate much more closely together,” said Nandy, a British minister of Indian origin, during an interaction with Indian media. She noted that the aim was to ensure people in both countries “can benefit from and have access to many of the cultural artefacts that stem back to the very different era.”
#WATCH | Delhi | On any communication between India & UK on 'Kohinoor', UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy says," We've been talking between the UK and India for quite some time about the way that we think we can collaborate much more closely together… pic.twitter.com/Gn0ZPAjRBX
— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2025
The comment is a clear acknowledgment of formal dialogue between the two governments over contested colonial-era artefacts, particularly the Kohinoor, a 105.6-carat diamond that was taken from India under exploitative British rule.
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More ShortsThe Kohinoor diamond, recognised as one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, has a fascinating history that spans centuries. Originating in South India, this precious gem eventually became part of the British royal collection, where it now adorns the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.
India has long sought the return of the Kohinoor , with successive governments petitioning the British government and the Royal Household over the years. In 2016, India’s Solicitor General told the Supreme Court that it would explore diplomatic channels to reclaim the diamond, although the British government has consistently maintained that the ownership of the gem is non-negotiable.
The diamond is currently set in the Queen Mother’s Crown and remains on display in the Tower of London. During the coronation of King Charles III in 2023, the British royal family chose not to feature the Kohinoor, in a move widely interpreted as a nod to India’s sensitivities and a broader rethinking of the legacy of empire.
While Nandy did not offer specifics about the Kohinoor’s future, her remarks suggest a possible shift toward collaborative arrangements— an approach the UK has previously explored with Greece and Nigeria over the Elgin Marbles and Benin Bronzes, respectively.
India’s cultural ministry has stepped up efforts in recent years to retrieve artefacts taken during the colonial period, with the government claiming the return of more than 300 antiquities since 2014, many from the US, Australia, and UK.
Diplomats and analysts say any agreement on artefacts like the Kohinoor could serve as a litmus test for the broader UK-India relationship, which spans trade negotiations, defense cooperation, and diaspora engagement.
“This is something that I’ve discussed with my counterpart,” Nandy said, without naming Indian Culture Minister G. Kishan Reddy.
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