Prabowo Hails Prambanan Temple as Symbol of Indonesia-India Friendship

President Prabowo Subianto has emphasised that Prambanan Temple is a powerful symbol of the civilisational relationship between Indonesia and India, which has been forged over more than a thousand years. He made the remarks while accompanying Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on a tour of the temple complex in Central Java on Wednesday (8/7).

According to Prabowo, the joint visit to this world cultural heritage site was not merely a formal state agenda. The moment served as a reaffirmation of the long historical ties that unite the two nations through shared cultural roots, knowledge, and spiritual values.

‘Today, I had the opportunity to accompany His Excellency Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Prambanan Temple, one of the masterpieces of world civilisation and a cultural heritage that is a source of global pride,’ said Prabowo.

Prabowo explained that the relationship between Indonesia and India is built not only on political, economic, or defence cooperation but also on a solid civilisational foundation. He specifically highlighted the Ramayana epic reliefs on the temple walls as tangible evidence of the closeness between the two countries that has lasted for more than a millennium.

During the visit, the two countries also agreed on concrete cooperation in the form of conservation and restoration of the Prambanan Temple Complex. This step is considered strategic for preserving cultural heritage while strengthening future cultural cooperation.

Prabowo expressed hope that PM Modi’s three-day state visit would enhance mutual trust between the two societies. ‘Culture is a bridge capable of uniting nations and building trust to face a shared future,’ he concluded.