India determined to claim diamond once given to the Queen of England

"The Government of India reaffirms its resolve to make every possible effort to bring the diamond back to the country in an amicable manner," said India's Culture Minister.

The Indian government is now “making every possible effort” to retrieve the Koh-i-noor diamond from the UK, despite advice from India’s Attorney General that the diamond should stay in the UK.

India has repeatedly asked Britain to return the 105-carat diamond, which was presented to Queen Victoria in 1850. The diamond is now part of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.

The diamond became part of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. (photo: BBC).

India's Attorney General surprised many when he told the Supreme Court on April 19 that its claim to the diamond should be abandoned because it was given to Britain as a gift from an Indian king in 1851 and not stolen, as many Indians today believe.

The Indian government said on April 20 that the Attorney General’s views did not represent the country’s views. “The Government of India continues to reaffirm its resolve to make every possible effort to bring the diamond back to the country in an amicable manner,” the Indian Culture Minister said.

The ministry added that the diamond has “artistic value with roots in the history of our country (India)” and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is determined to bring the diamond back.

Last year, a lawyer in Pakistan, India’s neighbor, filed a court petition calling for the diamond’s return. India and Pakistan were once part of a common territory under British colonial rule. They only became independent nations in 1947.

The Koh-i-Noor was later attached to Queen Elizabeth's crown at the coronation of her husband, King George VI in 1937. When she died, the crown was placed in her coffin in 2002./.

The Koh-i-noor Diamond(meaning “Mountain of Light) is a very famous diamond that is set in the crown of the Queen of England.

The diamond was originally found in a Golconda mine in India and has been the subject of centuries of intrigue over its ownership.

The diamond passed through the hands of many people including Mughal princes, Iranian warriors, Afghan rulers and Punjab royalty before falling into the hands of British colonialists in 1849.

According to VOV