Sri Lanka strengthens global digital diplomacy at Asia Tech x Summit 2025 in Singapore

• Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eng. Eranga Weeraratne leads Sri Lanka’s delegation and participates in Ministerial Roundtable on Digital Trust, focusing on ethical AI in governance and education
• Holds bilateral talks with Singapore, exploring a National Digital Blueprint, AI integration and public cloud infrastructure
• Engages with Rwanda’s ICT Minister, highlighting Sri Lankan-developed platforms like WSO2 and LSEG trading systems
• Confirms Starlink’s operational readiness in Sri Lanka during talks with US Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy Stephan Lang
• UNDP pledges support for Digital Public Infrastructure and a regional AI Forum

Sri Lanka made a strong international pitch for its digital future at the Asia Tech  x Summit 2025 held in Singapore, where Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eng. Eranga Weeraratne led a series of high-level discussions aimed at deepening international collaboration in digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The summit, which gathered global policymakers, industry leaders and technology experts, featured a ‘Government-to-Government Ministerial Roundtable on Digital Trust’ focusing on the ethical use and governance of AI in public services and education. 

The Sri Lankan delegation engaged with global counterparts, laying the groundwork for strategic cooperation in digital innovation, infrastructure development and AI integration.

Deputy Minister Weeraratne and his team held a key bilateral meeting with Singapore Minister of State for Digital Development and Information Rahayu Mahzam. The meeting facilitated by the Sri Lankan High Commission in Singapore, centred on the formulation of a comprehensive National Digital Blueprint for Sri Lanka.

Discussions included building state-of-the-art data centres, implementing a national public cloud and establishing AI-driven public sector systems.

Both countries also explored the possibility of formalising their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Singapore AI initiative and the Government of Sri Lanka. Singapore Minister of State Mahzam expressed her support for Sri Lanka’s digital ambitions, commending the Government’s proactive policies and efforts, whilst pledging Singapore’s continued cooperation in its transformation journey.

In a separate meeting with Rwanda’s ICT and Innovation Minister Paula Ingabire, Deputy Minister Weeraratne highlighted Sri Lanka’s tech capabilities, including homegrown innovations such as WSO2 and the London Stock Exchange (LSEG) trading system—developed by Sri Lankan engineers and adopted across Europe.

Both countries agreed on the importance of mutual learning, AI development and the potential for Sri Lankan digital products to integrate into Rwanda’s open digital platforms.

Another key diplomatic engagement took place with Ambassador Stephan Lang, the US Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy. A major outcome of this meeting was the confirmation of the operational readiness of Starlink services in Sri Lanka, with the final step pending only the delivery dashboards from Starlink itself.

Ambassador Lang welcomed this progress and asserted the urgency of advancing complementary reforms, including Cybersecurity bill, amendments to the Online Safety Act and updates to the Data Protection Act.

He also underscored the importance of engaging global tech giants like Google and Meta in Sri Lanka’s digital future and commended the Government’s openness to collaborate with international partners on establishing data centres and AI-driven solutions across multiple sectors.

The Deputy Minister Weeraratne also met with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Chief Digital Officer Robert Opp, who lauded Sri Lanka’s commitment to digital transparency and anti-corruption through technology.

He extended UNDP’s support for co-developing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and establishing a regional AI Forum to promote responsible AI usage.

Weeraratne elaborated on Sri Lanka’s strategic digital roadmap, positioning the country as a future-ready hub for ethical tech development and inclusive hospital growth.

The Sri Lankan delegation was also warmly welcomed by AI Singapore Director – AI Innovation Laurence Liew along with his team. The meeting focused on exploring the advancements and applications of artificial intelligence across key strategic pillars, AI-research, AI-technology, AI-innovation, AI-products, and AI-governance.

Joining the delegation were Chief Advisor to the President and ICTA Chairman Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Singapore Senarath Dissanayake, Digital Economy Ministry Adviser Sumudu Rathnayeke, Digital Economy Industry Advisory Committee Convener Harsha Purasinghe, Sri Lanka High Commission Head of Chancery Ahamed Razee, and Connect to Care Founder and Chairman Chandita Samaranayake.