The Indian government, through the Ministry of Culture and the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi, officially opened an auction on September 17 featuring gifts presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This initiative is part of a recurring effort by the administration to auction items received by the Prime Minister during his official duties.

The inventory for this auction is diverse, encompassing over 1,500 individual pieces. Among the notable categories are intricate replicas of Hindu temples and various items related to sports, including signed memorabilia. The proceeds from these auctions are typically directed toward government-led social or environmental initiatives, such as the Namami Gange project, which focuses on the rejuvenation of the Ganges River.

While the event is presented by the government as a transparent way to manage gifts received in an official capacity, the scale of the collection highlights the volume of tokens presented to the Prime Minister by domestic and international dignitaries. The auction is hosted at the NGMA, where the items are displayed for public viewing before the bidding process concludes. The government has not yet released specific details regarding the expected total revenue from this particular round of bidding, nor have they provided a breakdown of the most valuable individual items currently on the block.