Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Indonesia's iconic Prambanan Temple on Wednesday, spotlighting a decade-long Indian effort to restore heritage sites reflecting shared civilisational links across Asia. The visit highlights India's cultural diplomacy, which has focused on reviving common heritage that predates modern political boundaries.
India's Heritage Restoration Projects Across Asia
One of the earliest projects was the restoration of the UNESCO-listed Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary in Vietnam, following a memorandum of understanding signed in 2014. The ancient Shaivite temple complex, once the religious centre of the Champa Kingdom, is regarded as one of Southeast Asia's most significant Hindu heritage sites.
In Sri Lanka, India signed an agreement in 2015 to provide grant assistance of LKR 326 million for restoring the ancient Thiruketheeswaram Temple, one of the island nation's five historic Pancha Ishwarams dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, India signed an MoU in 2017 to restore monuments in the UNESCO-listed Bagan Archaeological Zone. The project included the conservation of 12 historic pagodas and restoration of the famed Ananda Temple.
Post-Earthquake Restoration in Nepal and Bangladesh
In 2017, India launched the restoration of 28 heritage sites in Nepal under its $50-million post-earthquake reconstruction programme. These include the Seto Machhindranath Temple and Budhanilkantha Temple Dharamshala, among other monuments.
In Bangladesh, India funded the reconstruction of the historic Ramna Kali Temple, destroyed during Pakistan's Operation Searchlight in 1971. The temple was inaugurated in 2021. India has also financed the restoration of the nearly 300-year-old Joy Kali Mata Temple in Natore, besides supporting conservation of the Anandomoyee Kali Mata Mandir and the Ramakrishna Temple.
Expansion to Cambodia, Laos, and the Gulf
India's conservation efforts have also expanded to Cambodia, where it has undertaken restoration work at the Angkor heritage complex, including Ta Prohm, sections of Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear.
In Laos, India restored key structures at the UNESCO-listed Vat Phou Temple, a nearly 1,000-year-old Shiva temple regarded as one of Southeast Asia's oldest surviving symbols of Sanatan civilisation.
The outreach has extended to the Gulf. During his visit to Bahrain in 2019, PM Modi inaugurated the redevelopment of the 200-year-old Shreenathji Temple in Manama, preserving one of the region's oldest Hindu temples.
Prambanan Temple Visit Adds New Chapter
Modi's visit to the ninth-century Prambanan Temple, Indonesia's largest Hindu temple complex dedicated to Lord Shiva, adds another chapter to India's cultural outreach in Southeast Asia.
Reacting to the visit, BJP IT Department head Amit Malviya said India's cultural diplomacy under PM Modi “is not confined to speeches or symbolism” but is reflected in concrete efforts to preserve shared civilisational heritage across Asia.
“From the restoration of the Thiruketheeswaram Temple in Sri Lanka and Shreenathji Temple in Bahrain to conservation projects at Angkor in Cambodia, Vat Phou in Laos, Mỹ Sơn in Vietnam, heritage sites in Nepal, temples in Bangladesh, the Bagan Heritage Zone in Myanmar, and now the Prambanan Temple Complex in Indonesia, India is investing in the preservation of a shared cultural legacy that transcends modern borders,” Malviya said in a post on X.
He added, “This is soft power rooted in civilisational confidence, strengthening friendships, deepening people-to-people ties, and reaffirming India's role as a trusted partner in safeguarding the region's rich heritage. India isn't just restoring monuments. It is rebuilding centuries-old civilisational connections.”
The visit comes as India increasingly projects its civilisational heritage as a key pillar of its foreign policy, complementing its strategic, economic and diplomatic engagement across the Indo-Pacific.
