Jakarta | Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, on Wednesday visited the majestic Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta, marking the inauguration of a joint conservation project for this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The visit to the historic site by the two leaders will also bolster the cultural ties between India and Indonesia. The visit came a day after both countries exchanged a Letter of Intent to start the project on conservation and restoration of the temple complex with assistance from India.
Modi landed in Jakarta on Monday to a red-carpet welcome in the first leg of his three-nation tour -- that will also cover Australia and New Zealand -- to shore up cooperation in sectors such as trade, security and rare-earth minerals under the framework of the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of 2018.
In his remarks delivered at the joint press meet in Jakarta on Tuesday, Modi also said, "More than a thousand years old, the Prambanan Temple stands as a timeless symbol of the shared cultural heritage of India and Indonesia." The joint conservation project, in which the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will be the lead agency from the Indian side, and the visit by PM Modi and President Prabowo to the iconic temple complex in the Yogyakarta region, also reflect the emphasis New Delhi puts on cultural diplomacy in boosting bilateral ties with its partners.
On arrival at the Prambanan Temple complex, Modi was accorded a traditional welcome, following which the Prime Minister, accompanied by the Indonesian President, took a tour of the ancient site.
The warmth between the two leaders was visible as they shook hands and stood for a photo opportunity, with the central spires of the temple complex in the backdrop.
During his visit, Modi was also given a glimpse of the project and history of the temple, depicted on a ceremonial panel titled 'Indonesia-India Collaborative Cultural Heritage Conservation for Prambanan Temple Compound'.
It also carried details on the design and expected outcome of the project.
During his visit, Modi was also greeted with traditional chants and sounds of bells gently rung by a group of Indonesians.
Ahead of their visit to the temple complex, Prime Minister Modi, in a post on X, shared a photo of the two leaders holding their hands warmly in an aircraft.
"On the way to the Prambanan Temple from Yogyakarta with President Prabowo Subianto," he wrote.
In another post, Modi shared a video of the aerial view of the complex and said, "The majestic Prambanan Temple!" The Prambanan Temple Compound is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yogyakarta.
The centuries-old temple, located approximately 17 kilometres northeast of Yogyakarta city, is considered Indonesia's largest Hindu temple.
Built in the 10th century, this is the largest temple compound dedicated to Shiva in Indonesia.
Rising above the centre of the last of these concentric squares are three temples decorated with reliefs illustrating the epic of the Ramayana, dedicated to the three great Hindu divinities (Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma) and three temples dedicated to the animals who serve them, according to the UNESCO website.