Indosatโฃ Ooredoo Facilitatesโ Chinese AI Firm’s Access too โขBlocked Nvidia Blackwell GPUs
Jakarta, โIndonesia -โค Indosat Ooredoo, a major Indonesian telecommunications provider, has becomeโข a key intermediary allowingโค Chinese artificial intelligence startup INF Tech to access Nvidia Blackwell GPUs despite U.S. exportโข restrictions, according to reports from KompasTekno and โ Toms hardware. The โdeal, finalized after INF Tech secured a โคcontract, involves Indosat Ooredoo’s purchase of 32 shelves of Nvidia GB200/Blackwell GPU servers – totalingโข 2,304 GPUs – from โAivres at a cost of approximately $100 million (Rp. 1.6 trillion).
The arrangement circumvents direct U.S.โฃ restrictions on exporting advanced chips to China by structuring the transaction โขasโ a rental agreement. INF โคTech is leasing the โฃNvidia Blackwell GPUsโค from Indosat โOoredoo, effectively gaining access to theโข technology without directly โคpurchasing it from an American company.โข This move highlights a potential workaround for Chinese firms seeking to develop AI capabilities amid escalating technologicalโ competition and geopolitical tensions.
The deal underscores the growing โdemand for โadvanced AI hardware and the โคlengths companiesโฃ areโฃ going to secure access. U.S. restrictions, โฃimplemented toโ slow China’s technologicalโ advancement and prevent potential military applications,โฃ have created a complex landscapeโค for chip procurement.Indosat Ooredoo reportedly began installing the server racks in Jakarta in October 2025.
INF Tech hasโค stated its compliance with U.S. export controls and affirmed it dose not engageโค in military research. โฃ”Every customerโ outside Indonesia is subject to the same rules, both US and Chineseโ companies.If they comply with all theโข regulations, we support them,” stated Vikram Sinha, CEO of Indosat Ooredoo, confirming the company’s โฃcommitment โฃto regulatoryโฃ adherence.
The transaction raises โฃquestions about the effectiveness of exportโ controls and the potential for indirect access โto restricted technologies throughโข third-party intermediaries. It also positions Indonesia as a potential hub for companies navigating these complex international trade dynamics.
