\u200bChola Copper Plates, a set of 21 large plates and 3 small plates, are royal charters issued by Chola Kings during the 11th century CE. These charters formalise gifting of Anaimangalam village to a Buddha vihara called Chulamanivarma-vihara in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu.<\/p>\n
The Netherlands on Saturday restituted the 11th-century Chola copper plates to India in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.<\/p>\n
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the copper plates were formally handed over by the Leiden University Library to the Government of India.<\/p>\n
In a post on X, PM Modi described the return of the artefacts as \u201ca joyous moment for every Indian\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cChola Copper Plates dating back to the 11th Century will be repatriated to India from the Netherlands,\u201d PM Modi said.<\/p>\n
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Chola Copper Plates are a set of 21 large plates and 3 small plates and largely contain texts in Tamil, one of the most beautiful languages of the world. They relate to the great Rajendra Chola I formalising an oral commitment made by his father, King Rajaraja I. They also showcase the greatness of the Cholas. We in India are immensely proud of the Cholas, their culture and their maritime prowess.,\u201d he write in a post on X.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe in India are immensely proud of the Cholas, their culture and their maritime prowess,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
A joyous moment for every Indian!<\/p>\n
Chola Copper Plates dating back to the 11th Century will be repatriated to India from the Netherlands. Took part in the ceremony for the same in the presence of Prime Minister Rob Jetten.<\/p>\n
The Chola Copper Plates are a set of 21 large plates\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/Zwu0QFc2ZJ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The Ministry of External Affairs in a statement said that the return of the artefacts carried \u201cdeep emotional appeal\u201d for Indians and represented far more than historical objects.<\/p>\n \u201cThe restitution of these Chola copper plates assumes significance since they are not merely artefacts of the past, but an invaluable story of India\u2019s heritage and civilization,\u201d the ministry said.<\/p>\n PM Modi thanked the Dutch government and Leiden University, where the plates had been preserved since the mid-19th century, for facilitating their return.<\/p>\n STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADPM Modi meets Dutch Royals<\/p>\n PM Modi on Saturday met King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima at the Royal Palace and discussed close cooperation in digital technology, innovation, fintech and blue economy.<\/p>\n Modi arrived in the Netherlands on Friday – after a brief stopover in the UAE – on the second leg of his five-nation tour that also includes Sweden, Norway and Italy.<\/p>\n \u201cMet His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen M\u00e1xima at the Royal Palace. It was wonderful exchanging perspectives on boosting India-Netherlands friendship across key sectors like technology, innovation, sustainable growth, commerce and water resources,\u201d PM Modi posted on X after the meeting.<\/p>\n Modi said that India and the Netherlands are \u201cconnected by shared interests and a shared belief in building a future-ready planet.\u201d \u201cThey discussed the growing partnership between India and the Netherlands,\u201d the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.<\/p>\n \u201cBoth sides noted the close cooperation in the areas of sustainability, climate action, digital technology, innovation, fintech and blue economy,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The two sides also expressed commitment towards further strengthening India\u2013Netherlands relations.<\/p>\n Earlier in the day, Modi addressed a gathering of the Indian diaspora in The Hague where he called India a \u201cland of opportunities\u201d undergoing an \u201cunprecedented transformation\u201d.<\/p>\n STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD<\/p>\n The PM\u2019s visit to the European nation from May 15 to 17 is his second trip to the country after his 2017 visit and comes at what officials described as an \u201cimportant juncture\u201d in India-Netherlands ties.<\/p>\n India and the Netherlands have significantly expanded cooperation in recent years beyond traditional sectors such as trade, investment and the priority areas of water, agriculture and health.<\/p>\n The partnership has grown in strategic sectors, including technology, innovation, defence, security, semiconductors, renewable energy, education and the maritime domain, the MEA said.<\/p>\n The Netherlands is one of India\u2019s largest trade destinations in Europe, with bilateral trade valued at USD 27.8 billion in 2024-25. It is also India\u2019s fourth-largest investor, with cumulative foreign direct investment amounting to USD 55.6 billion, officials said.<\/p>\n People-to-people ties remain a key pillar of the bilateral relationship.<\/p>\n Later on Saturday, Modi is scheduled to meet his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten.<\/p>\n With inputs from agencies<\/p>\n First Published: Home<\/a>World<\/a>Netherlands returns 11th-century Chola copper plates to India during Modi visitEnd of Article
\nMay 16, 2026, 22:23 IST<\/p>\n