Indonesia, India Launch Decade-Long Partnership to Restore Prambanan

RRI.CO.ID, Yogyakarta - Indonesia and India have launched a landmark cultural heritage partnership to restore the Prambanan Temple Complex, reinforcing bilateral ties while safeguarding one of Southeast Asia’s most significant UNESCO World Heritage sites. The decade-long initiative highlights how cultural diplomacy is becoming an important pillar of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

The collaboration was announced by Indonesia's Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, while accompanying President Prabowo Subianto during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the Prambanan Temple Complex in Sleman, Yogyakarta, Wednesday, 8 July 2026. The conservation program is based on a Letter of Intent for the Conservation and Restoration of the Prambanan Temple Complex, one of the key bilateral agreements introduced during Modi's visit to Indonesia.

The project will be jointly implemented by the Indonesian Heritage Agency and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), combining scientific conservation methods, knowledge exchange, and advanced restoration technologies. The first phase will focus on restoring 54 Perwara temples in the northeastern section of the Prambanan complex before expanding to other areas over the next ten years.

“Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia and one of the masterpieces of Hindu architecture in Southeast Asia. The Ramayana and Krishnayana reliefs are enduring evidence that cultural exchanges between the Indonesian archipelago and India have flourished for centuries through the sharing of ideas, knowledge, art, and cultural values,” Fadli said.

The minister explained that the long-term objective is to conserve all 224 Perwara temples that surround Prambanan’s main shrines. While six temples have been fully restored, the remaining 218 are still in ruins, with thousands of original andesite stone blocks scattered, buried, or mixed with materials from different structures.

“Because of the complexity of documentation, the mixing of original stones, and the loss of some structural elements, restoring the Perwara temples is one of the most challenging examples of anastylosis conservation. We hope this visit will accelerate the restoration program while maintaining scientific standards, authenticity, and the integrity of Prambanan as a UNESCO World Heritage Site,” Fadli said.

Beyond physical restoration, the program will include digital documentation using LiDAR and photogrammetry, archaeological research, structural, hydrological, and geotechnical studies, capacity building for conservation experts, and the use of artificial intelligence to support digital reconstruction and technical analysis. According to the Ministry of Culture, the initiative is expected to strengthen Indonesia's conservation expertise while preserving the site's outstanding universal value.

Following a tour of the restoration site, President Prabowo and Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed their commitment to protecting shared cultural heritage as a bridge between the two nations. “We hope this cooperation becomes a shared legacy of Indonesia and India and serves as an example of how two nations can work together to preserve the world's cultural heritage for future generations,” Fadli said, emphasizing that the project demonstrates how centuries-old historical ties can be transformed into meaningful cooperation for the future.