Joint initiative aims to preserve the ancient temple complex, reflecting deepening bilateral cooperation in heritage and culture

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, on Wednesday visited the centuries-old iconic Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta, marking the inauguration of a joint conservation project for this UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to Modi, the program is a "shining example of the enduring civilisational bonds" between Indonesia and India, which are based on a common history that has bound the two nations' citizens together for centuries. The Prambanan Temple complex is the largest temple complex in Indonesia dedicated to the Trimurti-Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. The day before PM Modi's visit, the two nations issued a Letter of Intent to begin the project of conserving and restoring the temple complex with Indian help.

Experts say the visit by PM Modi and President Prabowo to the famous temple complex in the Yogyakarta region and the joint conservation project, in which the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will be the lead agency from the Indian side, demonstrate the importance New Delhi places on cultural diplomacy in strengthening bilateral ties.

Modi  landed in Jakarta on Monday to a grand welcome on the first leg of his three-nation tour, and President Prabowo travelled to Yogyakarta on Wednesday."President Prabowo Subianto and I inaugurated the UNESCO World Heritage Prambanan Temple Compound Restoration and Conservation Project," Modi posted on X after his visit."The beautiful Prambanan Temple is a timeless representation of our spiritual and cultural ties. "Preserving such heritage is about safeguarding the traditions that continue to inspire generations," Modi stated. "India is privileged to partner with Indonesia in this important endeavor." "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, Modi was accorded a traditional welcome, following which the Prime Minister, accompanied by the Indonesian President, took a tour of the ancient site. Both leaders shook hands and stood for a photo opportunity, with the central spires of the temple complex in the backdrop. During his visit, Modi was also given a glimpse of the project and history of the temple, depicted on a ceremonial panel titled 'Indonesia-India Collaborative Cultural Heritage Conservation for Prambanan Temple Compound'.By visiting this place with "friend, President Prabowo", this occasion has become special for me, 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," Modi 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," he said. Modi described his experience of visiting the temple as a "'Chaitanyapurn chhann' (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 stated.

While delivering his remarks, PM Modi, alongside President Prabowo, stood at their podiums, with the spires of the grand temple in the backdrop. India said its support for the restoration and conservation of the temple complex "reflects its enduring commitment to preserving shared civilisational heritage".The conservation project follows the understanding reached between the two sides during President Prabowo's State Visit to India in 2025 to explore India's assistance for the restoration of the temples at the Prambanan complex, the MEA said in a statement."India has successfully restored and conserved a number of Southeast Asian World Heritage Sites. The Borobodur Temple Compounds in Indonesia have also previously been thoroughly documented by ASI, it stated.

"In distant parts of the world, wherever we go, we witness the cultural heritage of India," Modi stated during his speech at the temple site. This is our heritage's second-largest identity in Southeast Asia. Statues of Lord Ganesha, Goddess Durga, and Lord Shiva may be found in this temple. This temple has been a place of worship for generations, and I had the good fortune to visit and pray there today," he remarked.

The original plan of the Prambanan temple was rectangular, consisting of an outer courtyard, middle courtyard and inner courtyard. The temples are subdivided into a higher and a lower terrace.