‘Inevitable’ India’s jewels taken by British empire will be returned, says author

Narendra Modi is preparing a campaign to reclaim items in UK museums and held by the royal family, such as the Koh-i-noor

A leading writer on the British empire has said it is inevitable that Indian jewels and historical artefacts looted under colonial rule will be returned, amid reports that the country will begin a campaign to get them repatriated.

Sathnam Sanghera, who authored Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain and fronted documentaries on the subject for Channel 4, said the latest demands are part of a series by former colonies reassessing their own time under empire.