A number one author on the British empire says it’s inevitable that Indian jewels and historic artefacts looted below colonial rule will likely be returned, amid reviews that the nation will start a marketing campaign to get them repatriated.

Sathnam Sanghera, who authored Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain and fronted documentaries on the topic for Channel 4, stated the most recent calls for are a part of a collection of former colonies reassessing their very own time below empire.

Countries akin to India are already altering historic legacies from colonial rule, which resulted in 1947, and a royal tour by the Prince and Princess of Wales to the Caribbean in 2022 was marked by calls for slavery reparations from the times of empire.

It follows a report within the Daily Telegraph on Saturday that India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, and diplomats are shaping up for a marketing campaign to reclaim gadgets in British museums and held by the royal household later this 12 months.

It contains the controversial Koh-i-noor diamond, which is held by the royal household and has featured in discussions about its potential use within the coronation; the treasures of Tipu Sultan, that are within the Victoria and Albert Museum and Powis Castle; and the Amaravati Marbles.

Sanghera stated: “Our museums and the royal family are in possession of billions of pounds worth of Indian loot. It was a systematic part of colonial rule. The royal family was given the king’s share of that loot. When we annexed parts of India and Burma [now Myanmar], there were representatives of our museums there to take things, soldiers took loot and sold it, too.

“It’s not just the financial value of these items, there is also the emotional and religious value.

“These countries are future superpowers or superpowers already, they are not going to shut up about it.”

The strikes by India are a part of a wider reconsideration of its position as a former colony. Modi has inspired college courses to be taught in Hindi and different languages reasonably than English, India’s parliament is being rebuilt with its MPs resulting from transfer out of the Edwin Lutyenss-designed colonial period constructing, and roads named after former British monarchs have been modified.

The Telegraph reported Govind Mohan, the secretary for the Indian ministry of tradition, saying returning antiquities goes to be a key a part of future coverage. “It is of huge importance to the government,” he stated. “The thrust of this effort to repatriate India’s artefacts comes from the personal commitment of the prime minister, Narendra Modi, who has made it a major priority.”

The subject has beforehand obtained consideration alongside disputes that embody the potential return of the Elgin marbles to Greece.

Previous Conservative prime ministers and tradition secretaries have rejected calls for artefacts to be returned. During a go to to India in 2013, David Cameron stated he did not think the return of the Koh-i-noor was the “right approach”.

The Koh-i-noor is controversial in its personal proper, with a number of claims on its possession. Sanghera agrees: “I think it is impossible. There will be anger by the Sikhs if the Hindu nationals get it. It is unsolvable.”

Museums are constrained by legislation to maintain their collections intact. However, charities such because the National Trust who are usually not topic to the identical authorized restrictions could also be approached first.

Sanghera stated: “In the next 10 years, it will totally change. Young people in Britain feel the same way about loot in museums as we felt about animals in zoos. They can’t quite believe it is allowed. I think it is inevitable.

“How Britain is talking about empire and colonialism is exactly the opposite way to other countries. This is nothing new, and it’s not been brought on by the coronation, where we saw talk about jewels being used. This has been being discussed by other countries for years. In 2013, Caribbean countries were talking about reparations, it might feel this is suddenly happening but this has been going on for a long time.”

“The royal family tried to dodge the conversation at the coronation by not using the Koh-i-noor, but instead they used the crown and sceptre that uses diamonds from South Africa, which they are now asking to be returned. This sort of approach is not going to work any more. We are going to keep facing these issues of decolonisation.”

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been approached for remark.