New Delhi: Tech billionaire Elon Musk arrived in Bali, Indonesia today on May 19. His visit comes just before the planned launch of SpaceX’s Starlink internet service. This is Musk’s first visit to Indonesia and he will be launching Starlink with the country’s President, Joko Wiodo.

This morning, Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan picked up Elon Musk at the airport. They discussed Musk’s plans during his visit to Indonesia and important collaborations. One key topic was the launch of Starlink internet service which aims to bring high-speed internet to all parts of Indonesia, including remote areas. 

High-speed internet services

Panjaitan mentioned that launching the service at a health clinic aligns with Starlink’s mission to offer affordable high-speed internet especially in remote and underserved areas. Indonesia, a vast country with over 17,000 islands spread across three time zones has a population of more than 270 million. He explained that Indonesia’s remote regions need Starlink to provide high-speed internet which will be particularly useful for improving health, education, and maritime services. (Also Read: Realme Buds Wireless 3 Neo Earphones Launch Date Confirmed In India; Check Price, Specs)

SpaceX Has Secured Operating Permit 

The satellite division of Elon Musk’s SpaceX has already received permission to operate in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, Communications Minister Budi Arie Setiadi shared this news with Reuters last week. (Also Read: OpenAI Never Clawed Back Any Employee’s Vested Equity: CEO Sam Altman)

Indonesia is the third country in Southeast Asia where Starlink will operate. Malaysia granted Starlink a licence to provide internet services last year and a company in the Philippines signed a deal with SpaceX in 2022.