Elon Musk arrives in Indonesia's Bali to launch Starlink internet service

Elon Musk, the head of X (formerly known as Twitter) arrived at the Indonesian island of Bali today (May 19)- just ahead of the planned launch of SpaceX's Starlink internet service. With the introduction of the services, the Indonesian government expects to boost internet penetration and health services in remote parts of the group of islands.

Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the Chief Investment Minister greeted Musk on his arrival via private jet at Bali's airport on Sunday morning. He said that the two would discuss several important collaborations, which will further include the inauguration of Starlink, as per the post shared on his Instagram page.

Equal internet access across the nation

Pandjaitan further said that equal internet access across Southeast Asia's largest economy, which is home to more than 270 million people living in three different time zones, would enable people who live in remote areas- helping to enjoy the same fast internet as those in urban areas.

Musk, who further heads SpaceX and Tesla will launch Starlink with Joko Widodo, the Indonesian President at a community health centre in Denpasar, the capital city of Bali, he said.

SpaceX has already secured a permit to operate

The satellite unit of Musk's SpaceX has already secured a permit to operate in Southeast Asia's largest economy, Communications Minister Budi Arie Setiadi told Reuters last week.

Starlink obtained a permit to operate as an internet service provider for retail consumers and had been given the go-ahead to provide networks, having received a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) permit, the minister said in an interview.

Indonesia is the third country in Southeast Asia where Starlink will operate. Malaysia issued the firm a license to provide internet services last year and a Philippine-based firm signed a deal with SpaceX in 2022.

Starlink service in other places