New Delhi:
For the very first time, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is opening its Toshakhana collection to the public and offering nearly 300 diplomatic gifts and souvenirs presented to various government functionaries during their official engagements for auction via e-bidding, said officials in a conversation with NDTV.
The auction, which started from June 8, will continue until June 30, 2026, featuring a large number of ceremonial, heritage and collectible gifts and souvenirs with a reserve price of Rs 2,385 and above.
Some of the highlights include two watches from Rolex’s Yacht-Master collection, a silver dagger from Oman, a sterling silver tea set made in London, an Apple MacBook Pro, silver decorative items and gold jewellery.
As per the MEA officials, this is the first time that members of the public will get an opportunity to buy articles from the ministry’s Toshakhana, as the revised Toshakhana Rules, 2024, came into force recently.
The officials further added that the auction includes gifts presented to the serving government officers, whose rank is that of Foreign Secretary and below, during their overseas official missions and visits over several years.
Among all the items, one of the biggest attractions has been an antique silver box of the 1980s. Designed originally as a luxury cigar or cigarette case, the collectible gift has been attracting multiple bids far higher than its reserve price.
Both Rolex Yacht-Master watches with a reserve price of around Rs 16.5 lakh each are also getting a good bidding response. On the other hand, gold jewellery from Kuwait having a reserve price of approximately Rs 9.5 lakh did not attract any bids till now, the officials said.
Apart from this, there is a decorative silver box featuring gold-plated dragons and having a 20-gram Swiss gold biscuit inside it. As per the officials, the bidding has already surpassed its reserve price.
This auction of Toshakhana items is organised by the Toshakhana Section of the Establishment Division of MEA. According to the officials, the reserve price for all the items is fixed through a valuation committee, and packing and shipping charges have been added to the appraised price.
Winning bidders will get the articles for free delivery post-auction on June 30.
As per the officials, this is the first time that a public auction is being organised for Toshakhana items. The only earlier auction which took place in 1983 was only for the employees of the Ministry of External Affairs.
The proceeds from the sale will go into the Consolidated Fund of India.
It should be noted here that in this ongoing auction, only those gifts are included that have been received by the serving government officers. MEA officials informed that in future auctions, gifts will also be included which were received by successive External Affairs Ministers.
Toshakhana is the official name for the collection of gifts and souvenirs received by the Indian government functionaries from foreign governments, dignitaries, and other overseas sources during official engagements.
The officials clarified that most of the articles are ceremonial, decorative, heritage or collectible in nature and not meant for any practical use.
