Indonesia may rework tech rules that delayed Apple, shut out Google devices

[JAKARTA] Indonesia is trying to walk a tightrope: staying open to reform and foreign investors while also safeguarding national interests, in an effort to avoid trade blowback from the US. The technology sector could be where it makes the first big move.

On Apr 14, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto announced that the South-east Asian nation, which had a US$17 billion trade surplus with the US last year, is ready to ease non-tariff barriers.

A key move towards this end involves relaxing local content requirements in the tech sector of the world’s fourth most-populous country. The rule mandates the use of locally sourced goods and services in certain sectors, including tech, to promote domestic industries and reduce reliance on imports.