Indian PM Modi Praises Prabowo's Planning for Prambanan Restoration

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised President Prabowo Subianto’s planning abilities during the inauguration of a conservation and restoration project for the Prambanan temple in Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta. Modi stated that President Prabowo, as a former soldier, possesses a clear strategy for planning the restoration of Indonesia’s largest Hindu site. “Today, I want to convey that President Prabowo, as a soldier, knows how to plan something,” Modi said in a press statement in Yogyakarta on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel. With meticulous planning, Modi is confident the restoration work on Prambanan can be completed ahead of schedule. The cooperation programme is a long-term project scheduled to run from 2026 to 2036, focusing on the restoration of over 200 perwara, or companion temples, within the Prambanan complex that currently lie in ruins. Modi noted that Prabowo asked him to commit to both nations completing the project before 2029. “And I will need to make another visit to Indonesia to inaugurate the temple complex after restoration,” Modi said. He then reaffirmed his promise that the Indonesia-India project for the conservation and restoration of Prambanan could be completed within the next three years. “And together we will celebrate the restoration and inauguration with a grand festival,” he added. On the same occasion, President Prabowo welcomed the cooperation between Indonesia and India on the Prambanan restoration project. “On this auspicious occasion, I welcome the agreement on the conservation and restoration of the Prambanan temple complex between the governments of Indonesia and India,” the Head of State said. He also expressed gratitude for PM Modi’s visit to the country. Prabowo expressed hope that their joint visit to Prambanan would further strengthen the friendship between the peoples of Indonesia and India. “Culture is a bridge that can unite nations, strengthen mutual understanding, and build trust to face the future together,” Prabowo said. For the Gerindra Party chairman, Prambanan Temple serves as a reminder of the long-standing relationship between Indonesia and India. Prabowo considered PM Modi’s visit to Prambanan to hold special significance. “Prambanan Temple is not only a symbol of Indonesia’s historical and cultural glory, but also a reminder of the strong civilisational ties that have existed between Indonesia and India for more than 1,000 years,” he said. Prabowo noted that the relationship between Indonesia and India is built not only through political, economic, and defence cooperation but is also deeply rooted in cultural values, knowledge, and mutual respect. “We can still see and feel these historical traces today,” Prabowo said.