Modi, Prabowo launch Prambanan temple restoration at UNESCO site

Modi and Prabowo visited Prambanan and launched a joint conservation project at the UNESCO site. The move deepens India-Indonesia cultural diplomacy around their shared civilisational heritage.

In Short

• The ASI will lead India's work at the 9th-century temple complex
• Both sides called Prambanan a symbol of shared civilisational heritage
• Modi said preserving heritage safeguards traditions that inspire future generations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday visited the Prambanan Temple complex and inaugurated a joint conservation and restoration project at the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The project begins a new phase of India-Indonesia cooperation on a site both countries describe as a symbol of their shared civilisational and cultural heritage.

A day after the two sides exchanged a Letter of Intent for the project, Modi said the initiative was a "shining example of the enduring civilisational bonds" between India and Indonesia. The Archaeological Survey of India will be the lead agency from the Indian side for the work at the temple complex, with the visit underlining New Delhi's focus on cultural diplomacy in its ties with Jakarta.

Modi, who arrived in Jakarta on Monday to a grand welcome on the first leg of his three-nation tour, travelled to Yogyakarta on Wednesday with President Prabowo. At the Prambanan Temple complex, the two leaders unveiled a plaque to mark the start of the ASI's conservation and restoration project.

In a post on X after the visit, Modi said, "President Prabowo Subianto and I inaugurated the UNESCO World Heritage Prambanan Temple Compound Restoration and Conservation Project." He added, "The magnificent Prambanan Temple stands as a timeless symbol of our cultural and spiritual links. Preserving such heritage is about safeguarding the traditions that continue to inspire generations." Modi also said India is privileged to partner with Indonesia in this effort. "As nations with deep cultural connections, India and Indonesia will continue to work together to celebrate our shared past while building an even stronger future," he said.

On arrival at the temple complex, Modi was given a traditional welcome. Accompanied by the Indonesian President, he toured the ancient site. The two leaders shook hands and posed for photographs with the central spires of the temple complex in the background. Modi was also shown a ceremonial panel titled 'Indonesia-India Collaborative Cultural Heritage Conservation for Prambanan Temple Compound', which presented the history of the temple and details of the project. The warmth between the two leaders was visible through the visit, with handshakes, waves to the gathering and a hug at the end.

During his address at the site, Modi said it was his honour to be part of the inauguration of the joint conservation project. Referring to President Prabowo, he said, by visiting the place with his "friend, President Prabowo", the occasion had become special for him. He said, "In conversations I hear, the winds here carry a scent of culture. That scent which we feel every moment on the soil of India. This scent, this cultural heritage, connects us." He also said, "1,200 years...I thank the people here (in Indonesia)...the way they have preserved this grand heritage, and maintained it, and done it with a devotional faith. So, I also wholeheartedly greet people of Indonesia and all the rulers (of Indonesia) who have been, so far."

Modi described the visit as a "Chaitanyapurn chhann" or a moment imbued with a sense of divinity. "I prayed to the Almighty for strengthening the India-Indonesia friendship, for the welfare of citizens of the two countries, and for swift development of the two nations, and offered worship with devotional faith," he said. Standing alongside President Prabowo with the temple spires behind them, Modi added, "As we begin the conservation and restoration work at Prambanan Temple complex, which is a UNESCO World Heritage, I am very assured that Indian tourists will definitely visit this place."

The Ministry of External Affairs said the temple complex, built in the 9th century, is the largest temple complex in Indonesia dedicated to the Trimurti-Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. It said the complex stands as an enduring symbol of the shared civilisational and cultural heritage between India and Indonesia. Located about 17 kilometres northeast of Yogyakarta city, the centuries-old site is considered Indonesia's largest Hindu temple.

Modi said the cultural imprint of India can be seen in many parts of the world. "In far-off places of the world, wherever we go, we witness the cultural heritage of India. In Southeast Asia, this is the second-largest identity of our heritage. This temple has statues of Lord Shiva, Goddess Durga, and Lord Ganesha. For centuries, people have offered worship at this temple, and today I, too, had the fortune to visit this temple and offer prayers at this temple," he said.

India said its support for the restoration and conservation of the temple complex "reflects its enduring commitment to preserving shared civilisational heritage". The MEA said the project follows the understanding reached during President Prabowo's State Visit to India in 2025 to explore India's assistance for restoring temples at the Prambanan complex. It added that India has a successful record of heritage restoration and conservation at several World Heritage Sites in Southeast Asia, and that the ASI had earlier carried out extensive documentation of the Borobodur Temple Compounds in Indonesia.

The original plan of the Prambanan temple was rectangular, with an outer, middle and inner courtyard, and the temples divided into a higher and a lower terrace. On the higher terrace are three main temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, with three smaller temples of their animal vehicles in front. The inner walls of the Shiva temple carry reliefs illustrating the epic Ramayana. The visit by Modi and Prabowo, and the launch of the joint project, brought together that history and the two countries' effort to preserve it for the future.

With PTI Inputs

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