Netherlands Returns Chola Copper Plates During PM Modi's Visit - Why It's Important for Indians?

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi's five-day nation tour continues, the Netherlands on Saturday (May 16) handed back 11th-century Chola dynasty copper plates to India during an event attended by the Indian Prime Minister and his counterpart Rob Jetten. This signifies the strengthening of ties between India and the Netherlands. Calling it a joyous moment for every Indian, PM Modi took to his official X handle and wrote, "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." The 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," PM Modi added.

A joyous moment for every Indian! 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. The Chola Copper Plates are a set of 21 large plates… pic.twitter.com/Zwu0QFc2ZJ

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2026

The Prime Minister further thanked the Government of the Netherlands and Leiden University in particular, where the Copper Plates were kept since the mid-19th century.

Why Chola Copper Plates Are Important For Indians?

The copper plates weigh approximately 30 kilograms and are bound together by a bronze ring bearing the royal seal of the Chola dynasty. The plates are divided into two sections: one has texts in Sanskrit, the other in Tamil.They relate to the great Rajendra Chola I, who was a Hindu emperor who provided revenue endowments for a Buddhist monastery. While Rajaraja Chola 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.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.

PM Modi's Visit to the Netherlands

PM Modi arrived in the Netherlands on Friday (May 16), after a brief stopover in the UAE, on the second leg of his five-nation tour that also includes Sweden, Norway and Italy. India has been pursuing the return of the Anaimangalam Copper Plates, known in the Netherlands as the Leiden Plates, since 2012.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.