Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, invoked the resonance of the sacred chant 'Om Namah Shivaya' echoing through Indonesia's Prambanan Temple during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit, calling it a 'moving testament to our shared civilisational heritage.'

Context

PM Modi's visit to the Prambanan Temple complex in Central Java, Indonesia, drew wide attention as the ancient Hindu shrine became the backdrop for a moment of cultural diplomacy. Kishan Reddy, posting on X, described the chanting of 'Om Namah Shivaya' at the site as evidence that 'Bharat's timeless spiritual traditions continue to unite hearts and cultures across the world.'

The Prambanan Temple is a 9th-century Hindu temple complex recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, standing as one of the most prominent symbols of ancient Hindu-Buddhist heritage outside the Indian subcontinent.

Policy Backdrop

The visit fits squarely within India's Act East Policy, which was upgraded from the earlier 'Look East' framework in 2014 and prioritises cultural diplomacy alongside strategic and economic engagement with ASEAN nations. Successive governments have framed pre-colonial Hindu-Buddhist linkages across the Indo-Pacific as living evidence of India's civilisational reach.

Indonesia holds a particularly significant place in this narrative, given its deep historical ties with India through ancient maritime trade routes, the legacy of Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms such as Majapahit and Srivijaya, and ongoing bilateral cultural exchanges. Sites like Prambanan serve as tangible anchors for this diplomatic framing.

Kishan Reddy, as BJP Telangana president and a senior Union minister, has consistently amplified cultural and civilisational themes tied to the Prime Minister's foreign engagements, reinforcing the ruling party's projection of India as a civilisational state with influence extending well beyond its borders.

Stakeholders and Impact

The moment carries significance for Indonesian Hindus, a community concentrated in Bali and parts of Java, who view such high-profile visits as international recognition of their living heritage. Cultural diplomats and scholars tracking India-ASEAN relations see the temple visit as a soft-power signal that complements security and economic cooperation.

For the BJP, the imagery of a sitting Prime Minister participating in Hindu religious traditions at a UNESCO site abroad reinforces a domestic and international narrative of civilisational pride and Hindu cultural continuity across Asia.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to whether PM Modi's Indonesia visit produces concrete announcements on expanded India-Indonesia cultural exchange programmes, joint heritage conservation initiatives, or new bilateral agreements under the Act East framework. The next ASEAN-India Summit is also expected to feature heritage and people-to-people connectivity themes prominently.

As India deepens its Indo-Pacific partnerships, the strategic use of shared civilisational symbols — from Prambanan to Angkor Wat — is likely to remain a defining instrument of New Delhi's cultural foreign policy playbook.