Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 6 July 2026, witnessed a performance of Wayang Kulit — Indonesia's centuries-old shadow puppetry tradition — featuring the timeless narrative of the Ramayana, calling it a moving reminder of shared civilisational heritage between India and Indonesia.

Posting on X, PM Modi said the performance was 'a moving reminder of how our shared civilisational heritage has travelled across seas and generations, taking on beautiful local expressions while preserving its eternal values.' He specifically complimented the performing ensemble known as Ganesh for bringing the story to life.

Context

Wayang Kulit is a classical Indonesian art form in which intricately crafted leather puppets are used to enact stories from Indian epics — primarily the Ramayana and the Mahabharata — accompanied by gamelan (traditional Javanese orchestra) music. The tradition has been practised across Java and Bali for over a millennium and was inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008.

The Ramayana, originating in ancient India, spread across Southeast Asia through maritime trade routes and cultural exchange, taking on distinct regional forms in each country while retaining its core ethical and philosophical themes. Indonesia's version, known as the Kakawin Ramayana, dates to the ninth century.

Policy Backdrop

India's Act East Policy, upgraded from the earlier Look East framework in 2014, places cultural diplomacy and people-to-people ties at the centre of India's engagement with ASEAN nations. PM Modi has consistently used visits to ASEAN capitals to spotlight living cultural continuities rooted in ancient maritime links, positioning India as a civilisational partner rather than a purely economic one.

During the 2018 India-Indonesia Joint Statement, both governments committed to preserving and promoting shared Ramayana traditions through joint festivals and cultural exchanges. Wednesday's engagement with the Ganesh ensemble reflects that continuing diplomatic thread, complementing India's broader soft-power outreach through yoga promotion, Buddhist heritage circuits, and diaspora networks across the region.

Stakeholders and Impact

For Indonesian artists and cultural practitioners, high-level recognition from a visiting head of government carries significant symbolic weight, elevating the profile of traditional performing arts both domestically and internationally. The Ganesh ensemble's mention by name in PM Modi's post is likely to draw wider attention to Wayang Kulit as a living bridge between the two civilisations.

For India's cultural diplomacy apparatus, the moment reinforces a narrative that the country's ancient epics are not merely historical artefacts but living traditions that continue to shape cultures across Asia. This framing supports India's soft-power goals at a time when it seeks to deepen strategic and economic ties with Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago nation and a key ASEAN partner.

What's Next

Observers will watch for announcements at the next India-Indonesia bilateral summit or an ASEAN-India cultural ministerial meeting, where heritage collaborations — including joint Ramayana festivals or artist-exchange programmes — could be formalised. PM Modi's public appreciation of the performance may also prompt renewed discussions around a dedicated India-Indonesia cultural endowment to sustain such traditions. The broader pattern suggests that cultural engagement will remain a pillar of India's Southeast Asia strategy well into the coming years.