TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry and Apple have reached an agreement, paving the way for Apple's manufacturing plant and R&D center. The deal, signed on February 26, 2025, ends lengthy negotiations after Indonesia banned iPhone 16 sales last year due to Apple’s failure to meet local content requirements.

Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita confirmed Apple has now secured the local content certificate (TKDN), a prerequisite for selling its phones in Indonesia.

He assured that Apple’s TKDN certificate would soon be issued. However, no official information is available yet on when the iPhone 16 will hit the market. Agus had said that the certificate would be released by Ramadan 2025.

That said, the approval for the latest Apple products, including the iPhone 16, falls under the authority of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi). When asked whether the iPhone 16 could be sold domestically before Eid, Agus responded, “As soon as possible, as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, Apple announced its plans to officially enter the Indonesian market. “We are delighted to expand our investment in Indonesia and look forward to bringing our full range of innovative products—including the iPhone 16 series and the latest iPhone 16e—to our customers here,” an Apple representative told Tempo on Wednesday afternoon.

According to Antara, Indonesia banned iPhone 16 sales in October 2024 after Apple failed to meet the TKDN requirement, which mandates at least 35% local components for domestic sales. Discussions involved the Ministers of Investment and Industry alongside Apple representatives.

As quoted by Reuters, Agus said Apple will invest over US$300 million in a software R&D center near Jakarta and a manufacturing plant for components, including AirPods. The company has also committed to training local talent in product R&D through programs beyond the existing Apple Academy. However, the deal does not include iPhone manufacturing in Indonesia.

Dian Rahma Fika contributed to the writing of this article.

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