Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the Indonesian Parliament on Tuesday, underscored the profound civilizational and cultural ties that bind India and Indonesia.

He emphasised that the relationship is deeply rooted in shared heritage, citing the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the ancient wisdom of Nalanda as enduring foundations of this bond.

He highlighted that the two nations are connected through Wayang puppetry, dance, and music, as well as through iconic monuments such as Borobudur and Prambanan. Borobudur, located in Java, is the world’s largest Buddhist temple complex, while Prambanan is Indonesia’s largest Hindu temple complex dedicated to the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and stand as symbols of the intertwined spiritual and cultural legacies of the two countries.

The Prime Minister also drew attention to Indonesia’s national symbol, Garuda, the vahana of Lord Vishnu, and the annual Bali Yatra festival, which commemorates the 2,000-year-old maritime and cultural links between ancient Kalinga and Indonesia. He noted that these traditions continue to reinforce the shared identity of the two nations.

In a lighter vein, he compared the culinary traditions of both countries, remarking on the crunch of India’s Papad and Indonesia’s Krupuk, while noting that spices and Bumbu remain integral to both cultures. This cultural parallel, he suggested, reflects the everyday connections that enrich the bilateral relationship.

Modi stressed that India, Indonesia, and the Indian Ocean itself are witnesses to millennia of shared history. He recalled how ports and ships carried trade and culture across distant lands, and urged Indonesia to join India in elevating their maritime partnership to new heights. He described the ocean not as a barrier but as a bridge that lies at the heart of their shared future.

The Prime Minister declared that India and Indonesia now stand at a pivotal moment in history. With the first quarter of the century behind them, he said the next twenty-five years will be crucial for both nations as they strive to serve humanity together.

He emphasised that democracy is a shared value, one that creates opportunities, builds trust, and shapes the future. He urged that the goodwill and trust between India and Indonesia must be harnessed to create new opportunities for their citizens.

Looking ahead, Modi articulated a vision of collaborative growth anchored in his policy of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. He stressed that India pursues development rather than expansionism, positioning the India-Indonesia alliance as a beacon of trust in the global order. He noted that although the capitals of the two nations are thousands of kilometres apart, the sea separates them by only 150 kilometres, symbolising proximity and partnership.

His remarks came during his July 6–8 visit to Indonesia, undertaken at the invitation of President Prabowo Subianto. This marks his fourth visit to the country and serves as a vital platform to consolidate a shared outlook on a free and open Indo-Pacific.

The visit is expected to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and reinforce the maritime and cultural bonds that have defined India-Indonesia relations for centuries.

ANI