NATGRID Gains Traction
1. What NATGRID Does
• A secure platform giving police and investigative agencies real-time access to major government & private databases (Aadhaar, airline data, bank records, DL, social-media links).
2. Recent Developments
• Usage rising to ~45,000 requests per month.
• Access expanded from 10 Central agencies to State police (SP-rank and above).
• Home Ministry urges States to integrate NATGRID into all investigations.
3. Why It Matters
• Eliminates delays of collecting data from multiple agencies — all information on one platform.
• FIR not required; data used to “join the dots” in probes.
• Key step to strengthen intelligence coordination post–26/11.
4. Challenges Reported
• Slow login, delays in retrieving real-time information.
• Some States face technical and access hurdles.
5. Larger Context
• India saw 20.41 lakh cybersecurity incidents in 2024 → demand for stronger, secure intelligence systems.
• Government emphasises data security and confidentiality on NATGRID.
