Wed Jul 02 08:24:23 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the provided text, followed by a news article based on it:

**Summary:**

SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service has launched in Sri Lanka, making it the third South Asian country to offer the service after Bhutan and Bangladesh. Key executive Parnil Urdhwareshe has been involved in the launches in neighbouring countries, by meeting with respective government officials. While Starlink has received a GMPCS authorization in India, it still requires further approvals before launching there. The pricing in Sri Lanka is similar to the other South Asian markets. Sri Lanka has a significant number of mobile and fixed-line broadband connections. Starlink awaits regulatory approval in all other neighbouring countries of India except China.

**News Article:**

**Starlink Launches in Sri Lanka, Expanding South Asian Footprint**

**NEW DELHI, July 2, 2025** – SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service is now operational in Sri Lanka, marking its third foray into the South Asian market after Bhutan and Bangladesh. The announcement was made by Elon Musk on X, formerly Twitter.

The move comes as Starlink continues its push to expand its global reach, offering high-speed, low-latency internet access via its network of satellites. The service is priced between ₹3,430–4,280 (12,000–15,000 LKR) per month for residential connections and ₹4,280–8,560 (15,000–30,100 LKR) for portable ‘roam’ plans, with hardware costs ranging from ₹17,185–33,685 (60,200–1,18,000 LKR).

Parnil Urdhwareshe, a key Starlink executive in India, played a significant role in facilitating the launches in neighbouring countries. He met with Sri Lanka’s presidential Adviser on climate change Ruwan Wijewardene in July 2024 and had also met with the then State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak in Bangladesh in 2023.

The launch in Sri Lanka follows the granting of a five-year authorization to Starlink in August 2024. As of March 2025, Sri Lanka boasts 21.5 million mobile broadband connections and 2.6 million fixed-line broadband connections, presenting a significant potential market for Starlink’s services.

While Starlink received a Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) authorization in India last month, the company still requires orbital slot assignments from IN-SPACe and spectrum allocation from the Department of Telecommunications before launching services in India.

The company is also awaiting regulatory approvals in other neighbouring countries of India including Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan, except China. Starlink has published a map showcasing the areas where it is still awaiting clearances.

The launch in Sri Lanka demonstrates Starlink’s commitment to expanding its presence in South Asia, potentially transforming internet access for communities in the region.

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