PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has retained 34th place among 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2026 (GII 2026), with its overall score rising 1.2 points to 41.8 from 40.6 last year.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Chang Lih Kang said the increase in Malaysia’s overall score reflected progress in the country’s innovation capabilities.
“The ministry’s priority is to ensure that Malaysia’s strengths in research, talent and technology are translated into greater local intellectual property creation, commercialised research outcomes and globally competitive technology companies,” he said in a statement yesterday, Bernama reported.
Chang said Malaysia also ranked second in the index among 35 upper-middle-income economies, behind China, while maintaining its position as the second-ranked country in South-East Asia, behind Singapore.
He added that the performance reinforced Malaysia’s standing as one of the leading innovation-driven economies among developing nations.
Positive progress was recorded in four of the seven GII pillars compared with 2025, with Institutions rising to 27th place, Infrastructure to 51st, Business Sophistication to 28th, and Knowledge and Technology Outputs to 32nd.
Meanwhile, Market Sophistication remained Malaysia’s strongest pillar, ranking 19th globally.
Chang said Malaysia also ranked among the world’s leading economies in several key indicators, placing first in high-technology exports and imports, third in venture capital and creative goods exports, eighth in science and engineering graduates, and ninth in policy stability for business.
