Prabowo Backs Indian Institutes of Technology and Management Campuses in Indonesia

Prabowo Subianto has expressed support for the establishment of Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) campuses in Indonesia to enhance the country’s higher education sector, according to reports from ANTARA News. The move aims to integrate Indian academic expertise into the Indonesian educational landscape through the creation of offshore campuses.

How will IIT and IIM campuses operate in Indonesia?

The expansion involves the creation of offshore campuses that allow Indian institutions to provide degrees within Indonesia. According to India TV News, admission criteria for these offshore campuses differ from those in India; specifically, the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is not required for admission to the IIT offshore campus.

The Deccan Herald reports that IIM Bangalore is slated to open a campus within a digital Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Indonesia. This development follows a similar trajectory to the move by King's College, London, to establish a presence in the region.

Why is Indonesia courting Indian educational institutes?

The Indonesian government is seeking to boost the quality of its domestic education by importing established academic models from India. According to ANTARA News, Prabowo welcomes these institutes as a means to elevate the standards of local education and foster stronger bilateral ties between Indonesia and India. By hosting these campuses, Indonesia aims to provide its students with world-class technical and managerial training without requiring them to travel abroad.

What are the admission requirements for these campuses?

While the domestic Indian campuses maintain strict entrance requirements, the offshore model is designed for greater accessibility. India TV News confirms that the JEE—the rigorous test typically mandatory for IIT admission in India—will not be a prerequisite for the Indonesian campus. Detailed admission criteria for both the IIT and IIM offshore entities are being established to align with the needs of the Indonesian student population while maintaining the academic rigor of the parent institutions.

The placement of the IIM Bangalore campus in a digital SEZ suggests a strategic alignment between higher education and the Indonesian government’s goals for digital economic growth, as reported by the Deccan Herald.

Official timelines for the full operational launch of these campuses remain under coordination between the Indonesian and Indian educational authorities.