Inside India’s toshakhana: Rolex, gold jewelry, Omani daggers now up for public sale | India Information
3 min learnNew DelhiUp to date: Jun 26, 2026 09:16 AM IST
A Rolex Yacht Grasp II, a silver dagger from Oman, a silver tea set made in London, even an Apple MacBook Professional — these are a number of the gadgets up for grabs with the Ministry of Exterior Affairs opening up its assortment of unique presents and souvenirs from the Toshakhana to the general public.
In a first-of-its-kind transfer, round 300 presents acquired by senior ministry officers, together with the Overseas Secretary, throughout their official worldwide journeys over time are up for public sale, with costs ranging between Rs 2,385 and Rs 17 lakh, which kicked off on June 8.
Officers inform The Indian Categorical that that is the primary ever such e-auction open to most of the people, enabled in compliance with revised Toshakhana Guidelines, 2024. Among the many hottest gadgets on the public sale is an vintage silver field which got here to the Toshakhana within the Nineteen Eighties, initially designed as a high-end cigar or cigarette container.
With a base worth of Rs 12,030, the article has acquired 29 bids to this point, with the best one exceeding Rs 52,000. Two Rolex Yacht Grasp watches, with a beginning worth of Rs 16.5 lakh, have garnered greater than a dozen bids, going as much as Rs 16.79 lakh now. Then again, a gold jewelry set from Kuwait by the Al Arbash model, together with a necklace, bracelet, and earrings, with a base worth of Rs 9.5 lakh, hasn’t acquired any bids to this point.
An ornamental silver field, flanked by two gold plated dragons, carrying a 20 gram tremendous gold biscuit from the famend Argor Heraeus model of Switzerland and a beginning worth of Rs 3.92 lakh, has clocked in eight bids to this point — going as much as Rs 4.06 lakh.
The public sale closes on June 30, after which the merchandise will probably be shipped freed from value to the profitable bidders, in response to officers. The Institution Division (Toshakhana Part) of MEA is conducting the public sale, they mentioned, including that the analysis worth of the gadgets is set by a committee.
For the public sale, the bottom worth of the gadgets has been calculated as its analysis worth plus the price of packing and supply, officers added.
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Toshakhana open to public for the primary time
That is the primary time that Toshakhana gadgets could be acquired by most of the people. Apparently, the final public sale, which was held in 1983, was open solely to the federal government workers on the MEA headquarters.
The proceeds of the public sale will go to the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI). Whereas no merchandise acquired by any political functionary has been chosen this time, the Ministry is now planning the following spherical of this public sale, whereby presents acquired by consecutive Exterior Affairs Ministers can even be added. “Within the current spherical, gadgets acquired by the federal government officers (Overseas Secretary and beneath) have been revealed,” mentioned officers.
Toshakhana is the repository of reward gadgets/articles acquired in India or overseas by the federal government functionaries from overseas sources and dignitaries.
The gadgets provided for public sale are primarily heritage, memento, ornamental, collectible, or ceremonial gadgets and will not essentially be supposed for purposeful, business, or operational use.
