Following a competitive selection process among 200 Sri Lankan students participating in the STEM education program, 18-year-old Senisa Gunawardena has been chosen to represent Sri Lanka in the prestigious ShaktiSAT International Mission.

The official program is scheduled to take place from August 22 to 31, 2026, at Gautam Buddha University in India, with the overall official visit spanning from August 21 to 31, centered in New Delhi, India. During this visit, she is expected to participate in high-level official engagements, including meetings with the Hon. Prime Minister and the Hon. President of India, making this a significant educational and diplomatic opportunity for the youth of Sri Lanka.

To mark this achievement and discuss her upcoming tour, Ms. Senisa Gunawardena met with the Hon. Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Eranga Weeraratne, on July 27. During the meeting, she shared her experiences regarding this international achievement, while the Deputy Minister emphasized the vital role such young representation plays in shaping the country's digital and technological future, extending his best wishes for her upcoming journey.

Aligning with the national campaign aimed at fostering a culture of integrity across the public sector under the "Clean Sri Lanka" initiative, the staff of the Ministry of Digital Economy pledged their commitment to an ethical and transparent public service today, 27th July. The ceremony was held at the Ministry premises under the leadership of Mr. Waruna Sri Dhanapala, Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy.

This program was launched in conjunction with the nationwide promotional week organized across public institutions on the directives of the Presidential Secretariat, supporting the government’s core vision of creating a prosperous nation and an enriched lifestyle for all citizens.

Addressing the gathering, the Ministry Secretary emphasized that an attitudinal and behavioral shift among officials is paramount when transitioning toward digital governance. He noted that embedding integrity with technology to deliver an efficient, transparent, and trustworthy service to the public remains the primary objective of this mission.

Furthermore, it was highlighted that the Ministry of Digital Economy remains steadfast in its commitment to digitizing the broader public sector. This overarching transformation aims to establish a citizen-centric administration characterized by high standards of transparency, accountability, and optimal efficiency.

A special discussion to review the progress of the national programme to digitalise Sri Lanka's school education system and to determine the next strategic steps was held on 21st July at the Parliament Complex.

The meeting was chaired by the Hon. Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, and was attended by the Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Eng. Eranga Weeraratne; Hon, Deputy Minister of Education and Higher Education, Dr. Madura Seneviratne,the President's Chief Advisor on Digital Economy, Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya; the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri; the Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy, Mr. Waruna Sri Dhanapala; along with a number of senior government officials.

Representatives from the Digital Task Force, the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Digital Economy, GovTech, the Sri Lanka Air Force, and senior officials from Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) and Dialog Axiata also participated in the discussion. Particular emphasis was placed on strengthening educational digital infrastructure through effective collaboration between the public and private sectors.

The meeting primarily reviewed the current progress of the programme to provide high-speed internet connectivity to all schools across the island through fibre-optic technology. Discussions also focused extensively on identifying schools where fibre connectivity cannot be provided due to geographical or technical constraints and on implementing alternative connectivity solutions for such schools. In addition, it was decided to accelerate the School Internet Project, which aims to connect more than 6,000 secondary schools across the country to national digital systems and online learning platforms.

As part of the broader digital transformation of the education sector, priority was also given to establishing Distance Learning Management Systems (DLMS) for schools and expanding Smart Classroom facilities. Discussions further covered the development of the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) to strengthen education data management, as well as the modernisation of Sri Lanka's national online learning portal, e-Thaksalawa, to meet evolving technological requirements. To facilitate the efficient implementation of these initiatives, agreement was reached for the Ministry of Education and GovTech to enter into a formal partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The discussion also underscored the importance of ensuring online child safety alongside the expansion of digital access to education. Particular attention was paid to addressing the growing social challenge of online gambling addiction and its impact on schoolchildren, with officials deliberating on the protective measures and awareness programmes required to safeguard students and the wider community from related risks.

The Ministry of Digital Economy, through its ICT Division, successfully conducted a comprehensive user training programme aimed at strengthening the digital capabilities of public sector staff by providing practical knowledge and hands-on experience with the Ministry's digital government platforms. Special thanks to the Secretary, Ministry of Digital Economy Mr. Waruna Sri Dhanapala along with the Additional Secretary (Administration) and Director General (Planning) for the continuous encouragement and support provided.

The training focused on the Document Management System (Live), where participants were guided through the complete end-to-end document workflow, including document creation, submission, review, approval, and secure management of official records. Special emphasis was placed on the proper use of legally recognized digital signatures for official and confidential documents, together with the procedures for verifying digital signatures to ensure the authenticity, integrity, and security of electronic documents.

The programme also introduced two innovative digital platforms currently in the testing phase, both developed by the ICT Division of the Ministry of Digital Economy. The Digital Workplace platform is designed to provide government officers with secure access to official files anytime and from anywhere, while offering AI-powered document creation, intelligent formatting, and integrated project management capabilities to enhance collaboration and operational efficiency across the public sector.

Participants were also introduced to the Digital Nomad Visa Recommendation System, a digital solution developed to automate the traditional Nomad visa application submission and recommendation process. The platform is expected to streamline manual workflows, improve processing efficiency, and deliver a more transparent and citizen-centric service.

The training programme reflects the Ministry's continued commitment to strengthening digital skills across the public sector while accelerating the adoption of secure, innovative, and technology-driven government services. The Ministry of Digital Economy extends its sincere appreciation to Authnex and LankaPay for their valuable partnership in delivering the Digital Signature solution, and to the Prime Minister's Office for its collaboration and support in the development and implementation of the Document Management System.

These strategic partnerships continue to play a vital role in advancing Sri Lanka's digital transformation agenda through secure, efficient, and future-ready digital public services. Through initiatives of this nature, the Ministry remains committed to empowering public officers with the knowledge, skills, and digital tools required to deliver efficient, transparent, and citizen-centric government services while accelerating Sri Lanka's journey towards a digitally empowered nation.

Countries like ours deserve a seat at the table where AI rules are written says Deputy Minister Eng. Eranga Weeraratne

At the diplomatic-level forum held alongside the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China, Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Eng. Eranga Weeraratne, delivered a keynote address.

The forum, held under the theme "AI Partnership for a Brighter Future," brought together digital ministers and leading experts from around the world.

Representatives from participating countries discussed the current state of their digital infrastructure, the development of artificial intelligence (AI), and the importance of international cooperation.

In his address, the Deputy Minister emphasized that as AI is already reshaping governments and economies worldwide, developing countries must be given an equal voice in the formulation of the global AI governance framework.

He noted that the real question facing the world today is not whether AI will transform society, but whether the benefits of that transformation will be shared equitably or whether it will instead widen the gap between countries that create the rules and those that are merely expected to follow them.

He stated that Sri Lanka's answer to this challenge is straightforward: global AI governance should be shaped with countries of the Global South seated at the decision-making table from the outset, rather than being informed only after decisions have already been made.

He further stressed that AI can only become a true global partnership if its governing principles are co-created through collaboration.

The Deputy Minister also highlighted that over the past two years, Sri Lanka has established a strong digital foundation and sovereign digital infrastructure through its DIGIECON 2030 National Digital Economy initiative to support the responsible development and use of AI technologies.

He further noted that the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) platform, which forms the foundation for secure AI-enabled services, has already been established. In addition, the Government plans to establish a National AI Institute in the near future to strengthen local capacity in AI research, ethics, and policymaking.

He explained that one of the key principles guiding Sri Lanka's approach to global AI governance is that every country should retain sovereignty over its own data and digital infrastructure while ensuring interoperability with AI systems worldwide.

The Deputy Minister also emphasized that for global AI safety regulations to be truly meaningful, developing countries must be provided with the technical capacity required to implement them. He concluded by stating that the ultimate success of any AI system should be measured not only by technological advancement, but also by the extent to which it improves the lives of ordinary people.

Representing Sri Lanka at the event were Sumudu Ratnayaka, Advisor to the Ministry of Digital Economy, together with a delegation of diplomatic representatives from countries across the region.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the Government aims to increase Sri Lanka's economic growth from its current level of around 5 per cent to 7–8 per cent over the coming years, emphasising that the information technology, electrical and electronics sectors will play a pivotal role in achieving this target.

The President made these remarks while addressing a discussion with leading investors and industrialists from the information technology, electrical and electronics sectors, held this morning (1 July) at the Presidential Secretariat. Highlighting that Sri Lanka's future can only be secured by strengthening domestic industries, the President invited entrepreneurs to work in partnership with the Government to unlock the country's true economic potential. The President also requested that they submit, at the earliest opportunity, proposals for developing their respective sectors together with a report outlining the key challenges currently facing the industries.

The President further stated that the Government intends to allocate Rs. 2 trillion for capital expenditure next year to accelerate economic growth. He noted that the Government expects the export sector to make the maximum possible contribution towards meeting the country's growing demand for foreign exchange resulting from this investment.

The discussion focused extensively on the significant contribution that the information technology, electrical and electronics sectors could make towards increasing Sri Lanka's export earnings and foreign currency inflows.

It was highlighted that the information technology sector, currently Sri Lanka's third-largest export revenue earner, has the potential to generate US$5 billion in annual export earnings. Likewise, the electrical and electronics sector, which currently generates approximately US$500 million in export revenue, has the potential to increase this figure to US$2 billion annually.

Participants also discussed Sri Lanka's potential to establish itself as a global brand in the information technology, electrical and electronics sectors. Attention was drawn to the country's highly skilled workforce in both industries and the need to further improve facilities and infrastructure to support their continued growth.

Representatives of the business community briefed the President on a number of challenges affecting the sectors, including the complexities involved in importing electronic components, obstacles faced by companies operating in the Colombo Port City when conducting transactions through the banking system and difficulties encountered in promoting locally manufactured products within the domestic market. The discussion also focused on removing these barriers and introducing the necessary legislative and regulatory reforms.

Attention was also paid to establishing a special unit representing relevant parties to directly receive the issues and suggestions of industrialists and provide prompt solutions to them.

Business representatives were also briefed on a range of Government initiatives already planned to expand support and infrastructure for these sectors.Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne outlined plans to establish a Virtual Special Economic Zone and a data centre, introduce a Green Channel mechanism to remove Customs-related obstacles to the import of electronic equipment required for research and development (R&D) and address banking and credit card limitations affecting overseas payments for essential services such as cloud computing and Software as a Service (SaaS). He also noted that the Government is considering alternative incentive schemes to help retain skilled professionals and reduce the migration of talent overseas.

Among those present were Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Anil Jayantha Fernando; Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr..Harshana Suriyapperuma, Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage; Secretary to the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Thilaka Jayasundara; Chairman of the Export Development Board Mangala Wijesinghe; Shehani Seneviratne and other representatives of the Sri Lanka Association for Software and Services Companies (SLASSCOM); Chairman of the Sri Lanka Electronic Manufacturers and Exporters Association (SLEMEA) Gamini Ranasinghe; former Chairman Dr Ajith Pasqual; Managing Director of VARIOSYSTEMS (Pvt) Ltd Thevan Satheeswaran; Managing Director of GPV Lanka Chandana Dissanayake; together with a large number of leading entrepreneurs and representatives from the information technology, electrical and electronics industries

The Hon. Deputy Minister of Digital Economy held a bilateral meeting with senior officials of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) on the sidelines of the MWC GSMA Roundtable on 25th June, engaging in substantive discussions on advancing Sri Lanka's telecommunications and digital agenda.

The delegation was represented by the Hon. Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Eranga Weeraratne, and Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), Mr. Bandula Herath, while GSMA was represented by ‍Mr. Julian Gorman, Head of Asia Pacific; Ms. Jeanette Whyte, Head of Public Policy and External Affairs (APAC), Mr. Bensen Koh, Director of Policy (APAC), and Mr. Ashish Garg, Director of Spectrum & Policy (South Asia).

Discussions centred on Sri Lanka's 5G rollout strategy, the identification of 5G service use cases, unified licensing, technology neutrality, infrastructure sharing, and cybersecurity. The meeting also addressed recent engagements with TRCSL on digital switchover and preparations for the World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 (WRC-27), as well as updates on the GSMA APAC Cross Sector Anti-Scam Taskforce (ACAST).

Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to fostering continued collaboration in support of Sri Lanka's digital transformation aspirations and the broader priorities of the Ministry of Digital Economy.

A high-level diplomatic roundtable aimed at strengthening trust in digital services and addressing the growing threat of scams and financial fraud across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region was successfully held on 25th June 2026 at the Kerry Hotel in Shanghai, China.

Organised by the GSMA, the closed-door session was convened alongside MWC Shanghai 2026, bringing together senior government representatives, regulators and industry leaders to discuss collaborative approaches to enhancing regional digital security. Representing Sri Lanka, Eng. Eranga Weeraratne, Hon. Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, participated in the discussions, reaffirming Sri Lanka's commitment to fostering a secure, resilient and trusted digital economy through regional and international cooperation.

The roundtable focused extensively on how policymakers, regulators and industry stakeholders across the Asia-Pacific and ASEAN regions can work together to combat cross-border scams and fraudulent activities that threaten consumer protection, digital services and economic resilience. Particular attention was given to the rapidly evolving cyber threats driven by the misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation, highlighting the need for robust digital security frameworks, forward-looking regulatory policies and enhanced institutional preparedness.

The second discussion session, titled "Building a Secure and Resilient Digital Future: AI, Automation and the Next Frontier of Anti-Scam Defence," featured Deputy Minister Weeraratne as a panellist alongside regional experts. During the discussion, panellists emphasised the importance of advancing anti-scam technologies, encouraging greater private sector investment in cybersecurity innovations, and maximising the benefits of Artificial Intelligence while effectively managing its associated risks. The session also underscored the importance of strengthening international cooperation through the exchange of best practices, operational experiences and common principles, recognising that while legal and enforcement frameworks differ across jurisdictions, collective action remains essential in addressing increasingly sophisticated cross-border digital threats.

The roundtable commenced with opening remarks by Jeanette Whyte, Head of Public Policy and External Affairs for Asia Pacific at GSMA.Also representing Sri Lanka was Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Bandula Herath, Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL). Other distinguished participants included Hon. Chaichanok Chidchob, Minister of Digital Economy and Society of Thailand; Ilyas Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Communications Authority of Maldives; Mano Verabathran, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Communications of Malaysia; Lu Wei, Deputy Director General of the Cyber Security Association of China; together with senior policymakers, regulators and invited delegates from across the Asia-Pacific region.

Aimed at introducing innovative cloud computing solutions to accelerate the digital transformation of Sri Lanka's public and financial sectors, the benchmark "GROUNDED: Local Data Sovereignty Cloud Summit" concluded recently (June 17) at the Courtyard by Marriott, Colombo.

The event was jointly organized by NCINGA and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Delivering the keynote address, the Hon. Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Eng. Eranga Weeraratne, emphasized that digital infrastructure must become the primary engine of the national economy to realize the goals of the 2030 National Economic Framework.

Outlining several pivotal strategies for the nation's digital future, the Deputy Minister strongly highlighted the necessity of establishing localized "Hybrid Cloud" systems within Sri Lanka. He noted that this approach ensures maximum security and absolute national sovereignty over sensitive government and financial data. Furthermore, the forum shed light on the potential of building domestic artificial intelligence frameworks, such as "Sovereign AI" and the "NCINGA AI Factory," tailored specifically to local requirements to deliver faster, highly secure, citizen-centric public services.

The Deputy Minister further stated that to fortify the national economy, transition informal economic channels into structured pathways, and foster comprehensive financial inclusion, the state must rapidly deploy foundational digital public infrastructure, including a National Digital ID and Real-Time Payment systems. Acknowledging that the government cannot drive this massive transformation in isolation, he highly commended the active role played by global and local technology leaders like AWS and NCINGA. He reiterated that the private sector is not merely a vendor supplying commodities, but a true strategic partner instrumental in achieving this national vision.

Concluding his remarks, the Deputy Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s absolute commitment to cultivating world-class local talent among Sri Lankan youth, equipping them with advanced capabilities in high-growth, emerging domains including Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, Data Science, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to sustain these modern technical ecosystems.

The summit was attended by a distinguished gathering of high-level public and private sector executives, financial industry leaders, and technology experts, including Chief Advisor to the President on Digital Economy, Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, and the Head of AWS Public Sector for India and Sri Lanka, Mr. Mayank Arora.

Sri Lanka must transition from being a passive observer to an active leader in the regional and global Artificial Intelligence (AI) competitive landscape, emphasized the Hon. Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Eng. Eranga Weeraratne. The Deputy Minister made these remarks while addressing the "National AI Institute Stakeholder Consultation" organized by the Lanka Education and Research Network (LEARN). The high-level forum was attended by prominent academia from the higher education sector, technology industry leaders, and representatives from international partner organizations.

In his address, the Deputy Minister pointed out that Artificial Intelligence is no longer a subject confined to research laboratories; it has evolved into the central axis of the global economy, public services, and geopolitical strategic competitiveness. Citing key indicators from the Stanford AI Index and World Bank Development Reports, he noted that while AI offers developing nations a unique opportunity to leapfrog traditional development challenges, a failure to implement timely strategic interventions could further widen the economic disparity between wealthy nations and the rest of the world.

Elaborating on global benchmarks, the Deputy Minister highlighted that countries such as Singapore, India, and the United Arab Emirates have achieved significant advancements in AI due to proactive strategic decisions and sustained national commitment.

He stated that while Sri Lanka possesses exceptional intellectual capital, premier universities, and a highly capable technology industry, it has historically lacked a centralized national body to integrate the efforts of the government, academia, and the private sector, a critical gap that the proposed National Artificial Intelligence Institute aims to bridge.

The proposed institute will serve to consolidate currently fragmented AI initiatives across the country, providing researchers with shared access to High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure and high-quality localized datasets. Furthermore, the Deputy Minister emphasized that a primary objective of the institute will be to foster sovereign AI capabilities tailored to Sri Lanka’s unique context, driving a comprehensive transformation across vital sectors including public administration, agriculture, healthcare, and education.

Concluding his remarks, the Deputy Minister stated that the success of this landmark institution cannot be achieved by a single ministry alone, underscoring that institutional collaboration and a unified consensus among all stakeholders remain absolute prerequisites for its execution.