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- The Archaeological Survey of Indiais a department of the Ministry of Culture
- ASI has the mandate to regulate the export trade in antiquities and art treasures, to provide for the prevention of smuggling of, and fraudulent dealings in, antiquities, to provide for the compulsory acquisition of antiquities and art treasures for preservation in public places and to provide for certain other matters connected therewith or incidental or ancillary thereto
- The Archaeological Survey of India was founded in 1861 under British colonial administration by Sir Alexander Cunningham with the help of the then Viceroy Charles John Canning. At that time, its domain included the entire British India including Pakistan, Afghanistan and Burma
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- Conducting archaeological explorations and excavations;
- Maintenance, conservation and preservation of protected monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance;
- Chemical preservation of monuments and antiquarian remains;
- Architectural survey of monuments;
- Epigraphical and numismatic studies;
- Setting up and re-organization of Site Museums;
- Training in Archaeology; # Bringing out archaeological publications;
- Archaeological expeditions outside India;
- Horticulture operation in and around ancient monuments and sites;
- Implementation and regulation of - The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.
