TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia has reached a cooperation agreement with Apple Inc., the Minister of Telecommunication and Informatics, Rudiantara, said on Friday.

"We have signed a cooperation agreement with Apple. They have agreed to undertake R&D (research and development) here and will be ready to recruit our people to work with them," he stated at the Presidential Palace complex.

He noted that basically, it was most important that Indonesia could take part in the investment project of the US Silicon Valley company.

Apple products include the latest iPhone 7 that has not entered Indonesia yet although the number of iPhone users in the country has been increasing, he explained.

The minister observed that following the cooperation agreement, it is expected that all lines of Apple products, including the latest Apple series, could immediately enter Indonesia.

Rudiantara disclosed that the cooperation agreement would later cover research and development and even the industrial field.

"I will personally be involved in the cooperation for R&D development locally while the industry minister wil be involved in any initiatives in the industrial field," he emphasized.

He commented that he plans to invite Apple Inc. to come to Indonesia by the end of December 2016.

"Let the Apple people announce the value of investment. Our estimate is that it will be above Rp100 billion," he pointed out.

ANTARA