Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's worship at the ancient Prambanan Temple in Indonesia, calling it a powerful symbol of centuries-old cultural and spiritual ties between the two nations.

Context

CM Dhami wrote on X that PM Modi's puja-archana (worship and offerings) at Prambanan was 'Bharat aur Indonesia ke sadiyon purane sanskritik evam adhyatmik sambandhon ka sashakt prateek' — 'a strong symbol of the centuries-old cultural and spiritual bonds between India and Indonesia.' The post accompanied a video and reflected the BJP leadership's practice of amplifying the Prime Minister's diplomatic engagements through cultural framing.

Prambanan is a 9th-century Hindu temple complex in Central Java, recognised by UNESCO and deeply associated with the Ramayana tradition. Its existence in the heart of the world's largest Muslim-majority nation underscores the deep pre-Islamic Hindu-Buddhist heritage that once shaped the Indonesian archipelago.

Policy Backdrop

India's engagement with Indonesia and the broader ASEAN region has been systematically elevated since 2014, when New Delhi upgraded its Look East Policy to the more assertive Act East Policy. Cultural diplomacy — anchored in shared Hindu-Buddhist heritage — has been a consistent pillar of this outreach, pairing economic and maritime initiatives with civilisational narratives.

PM Modi had previously visited Indonesia in 2018, addressing the Indian diaspora and deepening maritime and cultural cooperation. During India's G20 presidency in 2023, New Delhi adopted the theme 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' — the same phrase CM Dhami invoked in his post — to project India's civilisational values on the global stage. The ancient Sanskrit concept, meaning 'the world is one family,' has become a cornerstone of the current government's diplomatic identity.

Stakeholders and Impact

The visit carries significance for the Indian diaspora in Southeast Asia, ASEAN cultural bodies, and scholars of Hindu-Buddhist heritage who have long advocated for joint conservation efforts at sites like Prambanan. Historical maritime links dating to ancient kingdoms such as Srivijaya provide the civilisational foundation for what New Delhi frames as a natural partnership.

CM Dhami emphasised that under PM Modi's leadership, India was continuously elevating relationships of 'trust, respect, and affection' — 'vishwas, samman aur aatmiyata' — with the world. For Uttarakhand, a state that is itself a centre of Hindu pilgrimage and culture, such messaging resonates strongly with the ruling party's domestic constituency as well.

What's Next

Observers will watch for any concrete announcements emerging from the visit, including potential agreements on joint temple conservation, a Ramayana Circuit tourism initiative linking Indian and Southeast Asian heritage sites, or outcomes at the next India-Indonesia Joint Commission meeting. Such cultural diplomacy visits have historically preceded or accompanied substantive bilateral agreements on trade, defence, and people-to-people connectivity.

As India deepens its Indo-Pacific footprint, the use of shared civilisational heritage as diplomatic currency is likely to intensify — with senior state leaders like CM Dhami playing a vocal role in amplifying New Delhi's soft-power narrative at home and abroad.