Strategic Infrastructure: 2026 National Capability Ratings
Nations on the Global Capability Frontier for Strategic Infrastructure
Figure 1. Top 25 Nations: Strategic Infrastructure Capability Frontier
| Strategic Infrastructure | Hard Capability | Soft Capability | Econ Capability | Frontiers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier | Nation | CT | SI | NS | HC | II | GI | FS | PI | TI | T1 | T2 | T3 |
| T1 | 🇨🇳 China | T2 | T1 | T2 | T3 | T2 | T4 | T3 | T2 | T2 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| T1 | 🇫🇮 Finland | T4 | T1 | T5 | T2 | T1 | T1 | T3 | T2 | T3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| T1 | 🇯🇵 Japan | T3 | T1 | T3 | T4 | T1 | T3 | T2 | T2 | T2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| T1 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | T2 | T1 | T4 | T3 | T1 | T2 | T2 | T2 | T2 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| T1 | 🇳🇴 Norway | T4 | T1 | T4 | T3 | T1 | T1 | T2 | T3 | T3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| T1 | 🇸🇬 Singapore | T4 | T1 | T4 | T1 | T1 | T1 | T1 | T1 | T1 | 7 | - | - |
| T1 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | T2 | T1 | T3 | T2 | T1 | T2 | T2 | T1 | T1 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| T1 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | T2 | T1 | T4 | T2 | T1 | T1 | T1 | T1 | T2 | 5 | 3 | - |
| T1 | 🇨🇠Switzerland | T2 | T1 | T5 | T1 | T1 | T1 | T2 | T1 | T1 | 6 | 2 | - |
| T1 | 🇦🇪 UAE | T5 | T1 | T4 | T4 | T1 | T2 | T2 | T2 | T2 | 2 | 4 | - |
| T1 | 🇺🇸 United States | T1 | T1 | T1 | T1 | T1 | T3 | T1 | T1 | T1 | 8 | - | 1 |
| T2 | 🇩🇰 Denmark | T5 | T2 | T5 | T2 | T1 | T1 | T2 | T2 | T2 | 2 | 5 | - |
| T2 | 🇫🇷 France | T3 | T2 | T2 | T4 | T2 | T5 | T1 | T3 | T3 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| T2 | 🇩🇪 Germany | T2 | T2 | T4 | T4 | T1 | T4 | T1 | T3 | T3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| T2 | 🇮🇱 Israel | T2 | T2 | T1 | T1 | T2 | T1 | T3 | T1 | T1 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| T2 | 🇶🇦 Qatar | T7 | T2 | T5 | T5 | T3 | T4 | T3 | T7 | T6 | - | 1 | 2 |
| T2 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | T6 | T2 | T4 | T5 | T3 | T6 | T3 | T5 | T5 | - | 1 | 2 |
| T3 | 🇦🇺 Australia | T5 | T3 | T4 | T4 | T2 | T3 | T3 | T4 | T4 | - | 1 | 3 |
| T3 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | T5 | T3 | T5 | T5 | T4 | T5 | T4 | T3 | T4 | - | - | 2 |
| T3 | 🇨🇦 Canada | T5 | T3 | T5 | T4 | T3 | T3 | T3 | T3 | T4 | - | - | 5 |
| T3 | 🇪🇪 Estonia | T7 | T3 | T5 | T1 | T2 | T1 | T3 | T2 | T1 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| T3 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | T5 | T3 | T8 | T5 | T2 | T4 | T4 | T3 | T3 | - | 1 | 3 |
| T3 | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | T7 | T3 | T7 | T4 | T2 | T3 | T4 | T4 | T5 | - | 1 | 2 |
| T3 | 🇷🇺 Russia | T5 | T3 | T3 | T8 | T6 | T10 | T10 | T12 | T11 | - | - | 2 |
| T3 | 🇪🇸 Spain | T5 | T3 | T4 | T6 | T3 | T6 | T3 | T5 | T5 | - | - | 3 |
| T3 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | T4 | T3 | T3 | T4 | T2 | T4 | T1 | T4 | T4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Figure 1. Strategic Infrastructure Capabilities by Capability Group
| Capability | Top 5 | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Manufacturing | ||
| Manufacturing workforce and innovation | 🇨🇠🇸🇬 🇰🇷 🇺🇸 🇳🇱 | Skilled labour and innovation capacity |
| Materials and inputs | 🇨🇳 🇺🇸 🇰🇷 🇯🇵 🇸🇪 | Raw materials and production inputs |
| Production systems | 🇰🇷 🇨🇳 🇸🇪 🇺🇸 🇨🇠| Manufacturing facilities and automation |
| Supply chain ecosystems | 🇸🇬 🇰🇷 🇺🇸 🇳🇱 🇨🇠| Integrated production networks and logistics |
| Aerospace Infrastructure | ||
| Aerospace manufacturing facilities | 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇨🇳 🇸🇬 | Aircraft and spacecraft production capacity |
| Aerospace R&D and testing facilities | 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 🇩🇪 🇨🇳 🇯🇵 | Research, development and flight testing |
| Launch, maintenance and support | 🇺🇸 🇨🇳 🇫🇷 🇯🇵 🇷🇺 | Space launch facilities and maintenance infrastructure |
| AI and Digital Infrastructure | ||
| AI tools and applications | 🇺🇸 🇨🇳 🇸🇪 🇳🇱 🇰🇷 | AI software platforms and deployment |
| Compute and cloud infrastructure | 🇺🇸 🇳🇱 🇸🇬 🇨🇳 🇰🇷 | High-performance computing and cloud services |
| Data resources | 🇺🇸 🇪🇪 🇸🇬 🇰🇷 🇨🇳 | Data availability and quality for AI training |
| Communications Infrastructure | ||
| Core networks and connectivity | 🇰🇷 🇨🇳 🇸🇬 🇺🇸 🇳🇱 | Fibre-optic networks and telecommunications |
| Data centres and digital platforms | 🇺🇸 🇨🇳 🇸🇬 🇸🇪 🇳🇱 | Server infrastructure and platform services |
| Spectrum and satellites | 🇺🇸 🇨🇳 🇫🇷 🇮🇱 🇯🇵 | Radio spectrum allocation and satellite communications |
| Energy Infrastructure | ||
| Fuel storage infrastructure | 🇺🇸 🇳🇴 🇨🇳 🇦🇪 🇰🇷 | Strategic petroleum reserves and fuel storage |
| Generation infrastructure | 🇨🇳 🇮🇸 🇩🇰 🇳🇴 🇺🇸 | Power plants and electricity generation capacity |
| Transmission and distribution infrastructure | 🇨🇳 🇩🇰 🇸🇪 🇳🇴 🇰🇷 | Electricity grids and distribution networks |
| Resource Infrastructure | ||
| Extraction infrastructure | 🇦🇺 🇨🇳 🇶🇦 🇺🇸 🇳🇴 | Mining and resource extraction facilities |
| Processing and refining infrastructure | 🇨🇳 🇯🇵 🇰🇷 🇦🇪 🇸🇬 | Mineral processing and refining capacity |
| Resource transport infrastructure | 🇸🇬 🇳🇱 🇨🇳 🇳🇴 🇰🇷 | Pipelines, shipping and resource logistics |
| Social Infrastructure | ||
| Cultural, civic and recreational infrastructure | 🇦🇪 🇸🇬 🇩🇰 🇨🇠🇶🇦 | Museums, libraries, sports facilities and public spaces |
| Education and skills infrastructure | 🇫🇮 🇸🇬 🇨🇠🇰🇷 🇩🇰 | Schools, universities and vocational training |
| Health infrastructure | 🇸🇬 🇺🇸 🇨🇠🇦🇪 🇮🇱 | Hospitals, clinics and healthcare facilities |
| Housing, community and social services | 🇸🇬 🇩🇰 🇫🇮 🇳🇴 🇳🇱 | Social housing, community centres and support services |
| Transport Infrastructure | ||
| Air infrastructure | 🇸🇬 🇺🇸 🇦🇪 🇶🇦 🇨🇳 | Airports and aviation support facilities |
| Land and multimodal connectivity | 🇸🇬 🇳🇱 🇨🇳 🇨🇠🇰🇷 | Roads, rail, integrated transport networks |
| Maritime infrastructure | 🇸🇬 🇳🇱 🇨🇳 🇰🇷 🇳🇴 | Ports, shipyards and maritime facilities |
