Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday inaugurated a project to restore and preserve the 9th-century Prambanan temple complex in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, describing the shrine as an example of the two countries’ shared cultural heritage.
The two leaders traveled by helicopter from the city of Yogyakarta on the island of Java to the temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the Archaeological Survey of India is implementing a conservation and restoration project. The complex, located about 20 km from Yogyakarta, includes temples dedicated to Lords Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu.
“This initiative is a shining example of the enduring civilizational ties between India and Indonesia, rooted in the common heritage that has bound our peoples for centuries,” Modi said about the project in a social media post. He said the temple is “a timeless symbol of our cultural and spiritual connections,” and preserving it “is about protecting traditions that continue to inspire generations.”
“India is honored to partner with Indonesia in this important endeavour. As two countries with deep cultural ties, India and Indonesia will continue to work together to celebrate our shared past while building a stronger future,” Modi added.
Prabowo said the Prambanan Temple serves as a reminder of the strong civilizational ties between Indonesia and India dating back more than 1,000 years. Relations between the two sides are built not only through political, economic and defense cooperation, but also through cultural values and mutual respect passed down from generation to generation.
Prabowo said that the temple is also a symbol of Indonesian civilization that supports science, art, spirituality and human values, and the inscriptions depicting the Ramayana carved on its walls bear witness to the cultural affinity between Indonesia and India.
The two leaders unveiled a plaque to mark the launch of the site’s conservation project, which follows the understanding reached during Prabowo’s visit to India in 2025 regarding India’s assistance in the restoration of temples at the site.
India has successfully restored and preserved many World Heritage sites in Southeast Asia. ASI has previously done extensive documentation on Borobudur temple complexes in Indonesia.
At the conclusion of his visit to Indonesia, Modi said that the results opened new horizons for cooperation in the fields of defence, security, maritime cooperation, emerging technologies, artificial intelligence and digital innovation. Indonesia was the first stop on a three-country tour that also included Australia and New Zealand. In a special gesture, Prabowo saw off Modi at the airport.
