Businessman Elon Musk has thanked President Ranil Wickremesinghe for permitting the launch of Starlink satellite internet services in Sri Lanka.

President Wickremesinghe had posted a message on X saying that the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) had given the green light for Starlink to launch satellite internet services in Sri Lanka, pending a two-week public consultation period.

“Much appreciated,” Elon Musk had said in response to Wickremesinghe’s post on X.

Wickremesinghe had said the development would revolutionise Sri Lanka’s connectivity, opening up new horizons, especially for Sri Lankan youth.

“With faster and more reliable internet, our youth can access global education resources, collaborate on innovative projects, and thrive in this new digital age. We will introduce relief packages for the education and fishing sectors,” the President had noted.

The President had said that Starlink’s implementation would be transformative for Sri Lankans, especially those struggling to stay connected with reliable, high-speed internet.

TRCSL Director General Madhushanka Dissanayake had said that the initial setup or the registration cost for the service would range from between $ 400 and $ 600, with a monthly fee of $ 99.