The Profound Meaning of Prambanan Temple for PM Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that the Prambanan Temple holds profound meaning, particularly for himself and for the relationship between India and Indonesia. He described the temple as a symbol of the cultural bonds shared by the two nations, with both countries agreeing to cooperate on restoration efforts for the temple complex. “The temple is over a thousand years old and is a symbol of the culture we share, the cultural interconnectedness between Indonesia and India,” PM Modi said in Jakarta. The restoration and conservation efforts are planned to be carried out by the Indonesian Government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The agreement on restoration and conservation was initially discussed during President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to India in 2025. PM Modi also noted that both countries will celebrate their long-standing educational diplomacy, marked by the meeting of Indonesian education figure Ki Hajar Dewantara and Indian philosopher Rabindranath Tagore in Yogyakarta in 1927. To commemorate this moment, the two countries have designated 2026-2027 as the Tagore-Dewantara Year as part of strengthening cultural and educational diplomacy. “A golden era lies before us together. Our history is rooted in the culture we share, and our future will also be coloured by shared prosperity,” said Narendra Modi. Earlier, President Prabowo and the Indian Prime Minister held a meeting at the Merdeka Palace, where they witnessed the signing and announcement of 16 cooperation documents and memoranda of understanding between Indonesia and India. The 16 documents cover intergovernmental and corporate cooperation across various fields, ranging from space exploration, defence, and health to agriculture, telecommunications, and education. PM Modi is scheduled to visit Yogyakarta on Wednesday (8/7), including a visit to the Prambanan Temple complex, which will be restored through the Indonesia-India partnership.