KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry has launched a centralised database to strengthen digital innovation management and improve the country's defence capabilities, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
The Defence Minister said the i-MIND platform will be a central repository for innovation products, projects and achievements by ministry personnel and the Armed Forces.
"It will enable innovation-related information to be collected, coordinated and documented systematically in one integrated platform," he said in his speech at the ministry's 2026 Innovation Day celebration on Thursday (Nov 12).
ALSO READ : Govt to unveil new blueprint for defence innovation
"It was developed to strengthen the ministry's digital innovation management while supporting more strategic, data-driven decision-making.
"Innovation must not merely become a culture or routine practice within the ministry. More importantly, it must be elevated as one of the ministry's key priorities and foundations of strength."
Khaled said innovation was essential for the ministry to operate more efficiently, reduce costs and shorten delivery timelines.
For the military, he said, innovation would enable the development of doctrines, force structures and defence readiness better suited to current requirements.
He added that it was also crucial for anticipating and managing increasingly complex and rapidly evolving security threats.
Citing developments in modern warfare, he said recent conflicts had shown how innovation could become a game changer, with locally produced drones costing tens of thousands of ringgit capable of defeating fighter aircraft worth hundreds of millions.
ALSO READ : Cyber and Electromagnetic Defence Command to be set up
He stressed that innovation did not necessarily require major projects, millions of ringgit in funding, or sweeping policy and legislative changes.
Instead, even small improvements could make a significant difference if they generated added value through cost savings, reduced processing time, better output and improved efficiency.
"Innovation does not mean that all existing knowledge, practices and ways of thinking are no longer relevant.
"We do not need to reinvent the wheel. The objective is to improve existing practices, methods and products," he said.
Khaled also highlighted the importance of innovation within the local defence industry, saying it could provide alternative solutions to the country's defence requirements, particularly in terms of assets and technology.
He said industry-led innovation would also help Malaysia gradually reduce its dependence on foreign parties.
On the ministry's achievements, he said its innovations had received international recognition at the Indonesia Inventors Day 2026, where they secured four gold medals, two silver medals and three special awards from Taiwan and Thailand.
He added that 10 innovative products developed by the three military service branches had also been identified for patent registration.
"We also introduced the Defence Innovator Pin as a symbol of recognising defence personnel (for successful) innovations," he added.
Khaled said the recognition should be continued and worn according to existing protocols as a symbol of pride and excellence in innovation within the Armed Forces.
He emphasised that innovation should not be confined to policymakers or personnel with technical expertise, but must be embraced at every level.
"Every time the government calls for an innovation culture, we must not assume that millions of ringgit in allocations are necessary before such efforts can be undertaken.
"Innovation must be viewed as our shared responsibility," he said.
