Why in news?
Officials recently urged state police forces to make greater use of the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) after data showed a rapid increase in queries to the system. NATGRID has been receiving tens of thousands of data requests each month from law‑enforcement agencies. At the 60th Directors General of Police conference, the Prime Minister called for leveraging Artificial Intelligence and integrated databases such as NATGRID to generate actionable intelligence.
Background
NATGRID is a technology‑driven intelligence‑sharing platform conceptualised in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. It is housed under the Ministry of Home Affairs and links multiple government and private databases—immigration records, bank transactions, phone logs, travel bookings and more. The aim is to give authorised agencies quick, secure access to information needed to detect and prevent terrorism and organised crime.
How it works
- NATGRID connects data providers (such as airlines, railways, banks and telecom operators) with user agencies like the Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing, National Investigation Agency and state police forces.
- When an authorised officer submits a query, the system pulls relevant information from the connected databases and presents it in a consolidated format, enabling faster cross‑checking of identities, travel patterns and financial transactions.
- The NATGRID solution is available to eleven central agencies and to police forces in all states and Union Territories. Officials highlight the strong uptake in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Assam.
- Robust protocols ensure that only vetted officers can access the system. The Home Minister has emphasised that privacy safeguards are built in and that data should be used solely for national security purposes.
The NATGRID campus in Bengaluru was inaugurated in May 2022. Development is being carried out by C‑DAC with IIT Bhilai as the plan management consultant. Continuous upgrades are planned to incorporate artificial intelligence and data analytics capabilities. The government hopes that enhanced use of NATGRID will help monitor hawala transactions, terror financing, counterfeit currency, narcotics and other crimes, while also promoting a “whole‑of‑government” approach to internal security.
Source: TH
