Background

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a final rule imposing import restrictions on archaeological and ethnological materials from India. Effective July 28, 2025, through July 26, 2029, unless extended, the importation of these materials is restricted unless they are accompanied by documentation certifying that they left India legally and are not in violation of that country’s export laws.

The covered archaeological materials include objects made of stone; ceramics, faience, and fired clay; metal; plaster, stucco, and unfired clay; paintings; ivory and bone; glass; paper, leather, birch bark, and palm leaf; textiles; wood, shell, and other organic material; and human remains ranging in date from 1.7 million years ago through 1770 CE. The covered ethnological materials include architectural elements, religious and ceremonial items, and manuscripts from the 2nd century BCE to 1947 CE. More details can be found in the text of the rule.

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