RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is stepping up diplomatic efforts to recover historically significant cultural artifacts currently held overseas, as part of a broader strategy to safeguard the nation's cultural heritage. The initiative involves ongoing negotiations with India, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Speaking at a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday, July 23, 2026, Minister of Culture Fadli Zon said the government is actively pursuing the return of several important inscriptions and archaeological objects through bilateral cooperation and cultural diplomacy.

One of Indonesia's priorities is the repatriation of the Pucangan Inscription, which is currently housed in a museum in Kolkata, India. Fadli said the request was conveyed directly to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Indonesia.

"Prime Minister Modi said the Indian government would study our request, and we have formally submitted a letter seeking the repatriation of the Pucangan Inscription to Indonesia," Fadli said.

The government is also preparing a formal proposal for the return of the Sangguran Inscription, which is currently held by the Minto family trust in Scotland. Indonesia is considering offering a high-quality replica to remain in Scotland while the original artifact is returned to its place of origin.

In addition, Fadli said Indonesia expects to receive several cultural objects from the Netherlands in the near future, including artifacts associated with Indonesian national hero Teuku Umar. Meanwhile, cooperation with the United States has focused primarily on recovering cultural objects linked to illicit trafficking.

The minister also stressed the need to strengthen preventive measures against the illegal export of cultural heritage objects. He said the Ministry of Culture plans to work more closely with customs and immigration authorities to improve the identification of protected cultural artifacts at airports and other border checkpoints.

"We must prevent nationally significant cultural heritage objects from leaving the country illegally. Strengthening cooperation with relevant agencies will be an important step in protecting Indonesia's cultural legacy," Fadli said. He added that repatriation and stronger protection measures are essential to preserving the nation's history and identity for future generations.