Netherlands hands back Chola copper plates; ties to go up to strategic partnership level
India had been pursuing the return of the Anaimangalam Copper Plates, known in the Netherlands as the Leiden Plates, for the past 14 years
The Netherlands have handed back to India some 11th-century Chola dynasty copper plates, which the country had been pursuing since 2012.
The artefacts were handed back on Saturday (May 16) in an event attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten, signifying the strengthening of ties between the two countries.
PM Modi, who arrived in the Netherlands on Friday after a brief stopover in the UAE on the second leg of his five-nation tour, described the occasion as “a joyous moment for every Indian”.
India had been pursuing the return of the Anaimangalam Copper Plates, known in the Netherlands as the Leiden Plates, for the past 14 years.
Modi’s post
“A joyous moment for every Indian! Chola Copper Plates dating back to the 11th Century will be repatriated to India from the Netherlands,” Modi said in a social media post after attending the restitution ceremony.
He said the copper plates comprise a set of 21 large plates and three small plates containing texts largely in Tamil and relating to Rajendra Chola I, formalising an oral commitment made by his father, King Rajaraja I.
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“They also showcase the greatness of the Cholas. We in India are immensely proud of the Cholas, their culture and their maritime prowess,” Modi said.
The prime minister thanked the Government of the Netherlands and Leiden University, where the plates had been kept since the mid-19th century.
What the plates signify
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a social media post, said the copper plates highlight the legacy of the Chola dynasty and their return is “yet another step in the homecoming of Indian cultural artefacts from abroad”.
The 21 copper plates are considered the most significant surviving records of the Chola dynasty and are among the important artefacts of Tamil heritage held anywhere outside India.
They weigh approximately 30 kg and are bound together by a bronze ring bearing the royal seal of the Chola dynasty.
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The plates are divided into two sections: One has texts in Sanskrit, the other in Tamil.
Rajaraja Chola I was a Hindu emperor who provided revenue endowments for a Buddhist monastery.
While Rajaraja Chola I gave the original verbal order, which was recorded on palm leaves, it was his son, Rajendra Chola I, who had the grant amount etched on durable copper plates to preserve it. The bronze ring that binds the plates bears Rajendra Chola’s seal.
Chola Copper Plates: Key Facts
Artefacts: 21 large and 3 small copper plates, weighing ~30 kg, bound by a bronze ring with Rajendra Chola’s royal seal.
Reign: Records linked to Rajendra Chola I, formalizing an oral grant by his father, Rajaraja Chola I.
Languages: Texts inscribed in both Sanskrit and Tamil.
Significance: Considered the most important surviving records of the Chola dynasty; highlight Tamil heritage and maritime prowess.
Journey: Taken to the Netherlands in the 1700s by Florentius Camper, a missionary during Dutch control of Nagapattinam.
How the plates reached Netherlands
The plates were brought to the Netherlands in the 1700s by Florentius Camper, who was in India as part of a Christian missionary in the period when Nagapattinam, the city mentioned in the plates, was under Dutch control.
The 24th session of the Intergovernmental Committee on Return and Restitution found that India’s claim as the nation of origin for the plates was valid.
The committee encouraged the Netherlands to engage in constructive bilateral dialogue with India regarding the return of the plates.
The Netherlands decided to hand over the plates during the Prime Minister’s visit.
India and Netherlands
Modi began his two-day visit to The Hague on Friday as part of four-nation trip to Europe that is aimed at ramping up bilateral ties in a range of key areas.
India and the Netherlands decided to elevate their relationship to the strategic partnership level following extensive talks between Modi and Jetten amid shifting global geopolitics.
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The two countries also inked a number of agreements to further enhance their cooperation in a range of areas.
Netherlands is one of India’s largest trading destinations in Europe, with bilateral trade touching USD 27.8 billion in 2024-25. The European nation is India’s fourth largest investor with cumulative foreign direct investment of USD 55.6 billion.
Modi invites Dutch companies to India
Ahead of the bilateral talks, Modi, along with Jetten, interacted with prominent CEOs of leading Dutch companies across various sectors such as energy, ports, health, agriculture trade, and technology, among others.
Modi invited Dutch companies to explore opportunities in India, particularly in maritime, renewable energy, digital technologies, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and healthcare sectors.
“We are continuously reducing compliance and increasing the ease of doing business. We have recently carried out next-generation reforms in taxation, labour code, and governance,” he told the business leaders.
Modi said manufacturing in India is becoming very cost-effective, and in the services sector, it has become the engine of efficiency and innovation. “We invite all of you to design and innovate in India. There can be no better time for this than today,” Modi said.
(With agency inputs)