INF Tech, a Chinese startup based in Shanghai, has gained access to 2,300 banned Nvidia GPUs through the Indonesian operator Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison.
This agreement, which represents a transaction of approximately $100 million, has raised concerns about the legality and transparency of access to U.S. technology by Chinese companies, especially in the context of political tension between the United States and China.
According to reports, INF Tech has collaborated with Aivres, a partner of Nvidia, which is rumored to have ties with Inspur, a Chinese company on the U.S. government’s blacklist.
A business that doesn’t seem legal at all
Aivres, which has not revealed a clear ownership structure, acquired 32 racks of Nvidia GB200 servers, each with 72 Blackwell chips, later selling them to Indosat. This move has sparked criticism, as there is a perception that Chinese companies may be circumventing regulations to gain access to sensitive technologies.
Despite the concerns, legal experts assert that access is legal, given that the contracts were signed between entities that are not on the U.S. trade restrictions list.
Indosat has defended its decision, emphasizing that it follows regulations and that any international customer, whether from the United States or China, must comply with the established norms.
Nvidia, for its part, has advocated for more flexible export controls, arguing that allowing access to its technology is essential to maintain its leadership in the sector. The company has stated that its compliance team has approved its partners before shipments are made, asserting that current restrictions hinder innovation and benefit foreign competitors.