ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA — Indonesia is no longer positioning itself merely as a consumer market for global technology giants.
The government has confirmed that Apple is now involved in Indonesia’s chip design ecosystem, signaling Jakarta’s ambition to move up the global semiconductor value chain.
The Ministry of Industry said the collaboration forms part of a long-term strategy launched in 2023 to develop national chip design capabilities, aligning with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to strengthen industrial sovereignty and technology-driven downstream industries.
Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said Indonesia has been laying the groundwork for semiconductor development for several years, beginning with early initiatives in 2019 and intensified engagement with global players at Hannover Messe 2023.
“Indonesia is not entering the semiconductor industry overnight. We have been building talent, infrastructure, and international partnerships step by step,” Agus said after meeting officials from the Indonesia Chip Design Collaborative Center (ICDeC) quoted on Monday, January 19, 2026.
A key milestone came with the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Apple, covering research and development collaboration in chip design through ICDeC.
The partnership focuses on developing Indonesian engineering talent while strengthening local value creation under the country’s domestic content framework.
“This cooperation underlines a strategic shift: Indonesia is moving from being a technology market to becoming part of the global innovation ecosystem,” Agus said.
Founded in 2023 with backing from the Ministry of Industry, ICDeC brings together chip design experts from 16 Indonesian universities, serving as the country’s primary platform for semiconductor talent development and applied research.
Indonesia’s semiconductor push has also gained institutional backing, with the chip design program included in Bappenas’ Blue Book, integrating it into national development planning and cross-ministerial policy coordination.
To support the roadmap, the government has allocated dedicated facilities at the Indonesia Manufacturing Center (IMC), including infrastructure for chip design testing and validation—critical steps toward industrial readiness and global standards compliance.
Agus is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the Indonesia Semiconductor Summit 2026, to be held on January 29–30 in Bandung, where policymakers, industry leaders, academics, and global partners will discuss Indonesia’s role in the evolving semiconductor landscape.
The initiatives are consolidated under Indonesia’s National Semiconductor Ecosystem Roadmap, with an initial focus on chip design, talent development, and strategic partnerships—including Apple—as Jakarta seeks to secure a foothold in one of the world’s most competitive technology industries. (AT Network)
Follow Us at Google News and WA Channel