Modi, Prabowo launch Prambanan temple conservation project in Yogyakarta

Jakarta,UPDATED: Jul 8, 2026 12:26 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday visited the Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta and marked the inauguration of a joint conservation project for the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The visit came a day after India and Indonesia exchanged a Letter of Intent to begin conservation and restoration work at the temple complex with assistance from India.

The visit is also expected to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries. The joint project, with the Archaeological Survey of India as the lead agency from the Indian side, reflects New Delhi's emphasis on cultural diplomacy in its engagement with partner countries.

In remarks at a joint press meet in Jakarta on Tuesday, Modi said, "More than a thousand years old, the Prambanan Temple stands as a timeless symbol of the shared cultural heritage of India and Indonesia." Modi had landed in Jakarta on Monday to a red-carpet welcome in the first leg of his three-nation tour, which will also cover Australia and New Zealand, with a focus on cooperation in areas such as trade, security and rare-earth minerals under the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of 2018.

On arrival at the Prambanan Temple complex, Modi was given a traditional welcome. He then toured the ancient site with President Prabowo. The two leaders shook hands and posed for photographs with the central spires of the temple complex in the background.

During the visit, Modi was shown details of the project and the history of the temple through a ceremonial panel titled 'Indonesia-India Collaborative Cultural Heritage Conservation for Prambanan Temple Compound'. The panel also set out the design and expected outcome of the project. Modi was also greeted with traditional chants and the sound of bells rung by a group of Indonesians.

Ahead of the visit, Modi posted on X a photograph of himself with President Prabowo in an aircraft and wrote, "On the way to the Prambanan Temple from Yogyakarta with President Prabowo Subianto." In another post, he shared an aerial video of the complex and said, "The majestic Prambanan Temple!"

The Prambanan Temple Compound, located about 17 kilometres northeast of Yogyakarta city, is Indonesia's largest Hindu temple and the largest temple compound dedicated to Shiva in the country. Built in the 10th century, it has three temples decorated with reliefs illustrating the Ramayana and dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, along with three temples dedicated to the animals associated with them, according to the UNESCO website. The visit by the two leaders brought together the launch of the conservation project and the broader cultural link the temple represents between India and Indonesia.

With PTI Inputs

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