Sri Lanka and Japan have agreed to strengthen bilateral ties through joint initiatives in digital transformation and artificial intelligence, with plans to establish a National AI Data Centre and advance ongoing television technology projects.

Sri Lanka and Japan have committed to expanding cooperation in digital transformation and artificial intelligence following discussions between Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratna and Shohei Hara, Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), at the Ministry of Digital Economy on August 14.

The talks identified two immediate priorities: accelerating a digital television project while addressing its technical obstacles, and exploring the feasibility of manufacturing set-top boxes domestically. According to the Ministry, local production of set-top boxes would reduce Sri Lanka's reliance on imports and support the development of the country's technology sector.

Beyond the television initiative, both nations discussed establishing a National AI Data Centre to form the backbone of Sri Lanka's future artificial intelligence infrastructure. The planned facility would encompass workforce development through training programs, creation of AI applications suited to Sri Lankan requirements, and knowledge transfer of international technical standards and methodologies.

The Ministry of Digital Economy acknowledged JICA's contribution to technical cooperation efforts, with Deputy Minister Weeraratna expressing confidence that these projects will progress effectively. Officials framed the agreements as reinforcing the broader relationship between the two countries.