Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, arrived in Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on Sunday to launch the Starlink satellite internet service in the world’s largest archipelago nation. Musk’s arrival was met with great anticipation as he is slated to launch the service alongside Indonesian President Joko Widodo in a ceremony at a public health clinic in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali.
The Indonesian Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, welcomed Musk at the airport and mentioned that the agreement between the Indonesian government and Musk’s SpaceX will focus on enhancing connectivity in the country’s health and education sectors. This aligns with Starlink’s mission of providing affordable access to high-speed internet services, particularly in underserved and remote regions.
Indonesia, with its vast archipelago of 17,000 islands and a population of over 270 million, faces challenges in providing high-speed internet services to remote regions. The local internet providers have limited coverage, especially in the outer islands. Starlink’s satellites, operating in low orbit, will help bridge this gap and deliver faster internet speeds with nationwide coverage.
Musk’s visit to Bali also includes participation in the 10th World Water Forum, addressing global water and sanitation challenges. This visit comes on the heels of other tech giants like Apple and Microsoft showing interest in investing in Indonesia’s digital technology and information sectors. Indonesia, under Widodo’s leadership, aims to become one of the world’s top five economies by 2045, marking a significant milestone in its post-colonial history.