Indonesia, India Strengthen Ties Through Prambanan Temple Conservation

RRI.CO.ID, Yogyakarta - Indonesia and India have agreed to work together on conserving and restoring the Prambanan Temple Complex.

The effort aims to preserve cultural heritage and strengthen relations between the two countries, which have endured for more than a millennium.

President Prabowo Subianto announced the agreement while accompanying Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the Prambanan Temple Complex in Yogyakarta on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

He said the restoration of the Prambanan Temple will be carried out through cooperation between the Indonesian government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

He added that the partnership reflects the growing bilateral relationship not only in politics, economy, and defense but also in cultural preservation.

“I welcome the cooperation between Indonesia and India on the preservation and restoration of the Prambanan Temple Complex,” President Prabowo said, as reported by Antara.

President Prabowo emphasized that Prambanan Temple symbolizes the civilizational ties between Indonesia and India, which have existed for more than a thousand years. He noted that the temple’s Ramayana reliefs illustrate their shared history and culture.

He described Prambanan Temple as a symbol of the glory of the Indonesian archipelago civilization, which upholds science, art, spirituality, and humanitarian values, rather than merely a historical structure.

President Prabowo stressed that culture serves as a bridge uniting nations, fostering mutual understanding, and building trust to face the future together.

He hopes that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Prambanan Temple will strengthen the friendship between Indonesia and India and encourage more concrete, mutually beneficial cooperation.

“I hope this visit will further strengthen the friendship between the peoples of Indonesia and India,” President Prabowo said.

He also voiced hope that cooperation in restoring the Prambanan Temple would become a new milestone in bilateral relations and support efforts to preserve one of Indonesia’s most vital cultural heritage sites for future generations.

“May the friendship between Indonesia and India grow stronger and closer, and continue to produce real cooperation that benefits both countries and their peoples,” he said. ***