Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit the historic Prambanan Temple in Indonesia on Wednesday, July 8. As the prime minister plans the key visit, India's efforts over the past decade to preserve shared civilisational and cultural heritage across Asia have come into focus.
According to reports, India will assist Indonesia in the conservation and restoration of the temple complex, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yogyakarta. A day before, India and Indonesia exchanged a Letter of Intent to mark the beginning of the project, news agency PTI reported.
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Here's a look at how India revived shared civilisational heritage over the past few years:
2021 | Bangladesh | Ramna Kali Temple
Bangladesh has been one of the key beneficiaries of these initiatives.
In 2021, the Modi government supported the reconstruction of the historic Ramna Kali Temple in Dhaka, which had been destroyed during Pakistan's Operation Searchlight in 1971.
The temple's restoration revived one of Bangladesh's most significant Hindu shrines and underscored the shared cultural legacy of the two countries.
2020 | Bangladesh | Joy Kali Mata Temple
{{/usCountry}}The temple's restoration revived one of Bangladesh's most significant Hindu shrines and underscored the shared cultural legacy of the two countries.
2020 | Bangladesh | Joy Kali Mata Temple
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, in 2020, India financed the reconstruction of the nearly 300-year-old Joy Kali Mata Temple in Natore through Government of India grant assistance.
New Delhi also supported the restoration of the Anandomoyee Kali Mata Mandir and the Ramakrishna Temple, helping preserve important centres of Hindu faith in Bangladesh.
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Agreement with Vietnam in 2014 | My Son Sanctuary
India has also played a significant role in conserving Southeast Asia's ancient Hindu heritage. In 2014, it signed an agreement with Vietnam to restore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary, one of the most important Shaivite temple complexes of the ancient Champa Kingdom.
2017 (MoU Signed) | Myanmar | Bagan Heritage Zone
In Myanmar, India signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2017 to restore monuments damaged in the earthquake-hit UNESCO-listed Bagan Archaeological Zone. The Archaeological Survey of India undertook the restoration of 12 historic pagodas and completed conservation work at the iconic Ananda Temple.
2017 (MoU Signed) | Nepal | Restoration of 28 Heritage Sites
Following Nepal's devastating 2015 earthquake, India committed US$50 million for post-earthquake reconstruction. Under a 2017 MoU, restoration and conservation work was launched at 28 cultural heritage sites, including the historic Seto Machhindranath Temple and the Budhanilkantha Temple Dharamshala.
2022 onwards | Cambodia | Angkor Heritage
India has also continued conservation work in Cambodia's Angkor heritage complex from 2022 onwards. Restoration efforts have covered key monuments such as Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear, reaffirming India's commitment to preserving one of the world's greatest centres of Hindu civilisation.
2024 | Laos | Vat Phou Temple
In Laos, India restored key structures of the UNESCO-listed Vat Phou Temple in 2024. The nearly 1,000-year-old Shiva temple is regarded as one of Southeast Asia's oldest surviving symbols of Sanatan civilisation.
2019 | Bahrain | Shreenathji Temple
During his historic visit to Bahrain in 2019, Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the US$4.2 million redevelopment of the 200-year-old Shreenathji (Shri Krishna) Temple in Manama, helping preserve one of the oldest Hindu temples in the Gulf region.
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2015 | Sri Lanka | Thiruketheeswaram Temple
India has also extended support to Sri Lanka. In July 2015, the two countries signed an MoU under which India provided LKR 326 million in grant assistance for the restoration of the historic Thiruketheeswaram Temple, one of Sri Lanka's five ancient Pancha Ishwarams dedicated to Lord Shiva.
These restoration projects reflect India's broader effort to preserve shared civilisational heritage and strengthen cultural ties with countries across South Asia and Southeast Asia through the conservation of temples, monuments and other historic sites.