NATGRID Usage Surges as India Expands Real-Time Intelligence Access

NATGRID Usage Rises Sharply as India Expands Real-Time Intelligence Access

India’s National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) —the unified platform designed to give authorised agencies real-time, secure access to multiple government and private-sector datasets—is witnessing a substantial rise in adoption. With nearly 45,000 data requests every month , NATGRID is emerging as a cornerstone of modern investigative and intelligence processes.

Broadened Access for State and Central Agencies

Originally restricted to top-tier national security bodies, NATGRID has now been extended to Superintendent of Police (SP)-rank officers across states. This expansion follows directions issued at the recent DGP conference, where officers were encouraged to integrate NATGRID into routine investigations to reduce delays and enhance evidence-based policing.

Unified Database for Swift Intelligence Retrieval

NATGRID consolidates information from diverse sources such as Aadhaar records, airline passenger data, banking and financial datasets, driving licence details, and certain social media activity . By bringing these datasets under a single secure interface, the system aims to eliminate the cumbersome inter-departmental coordination traditionally required for background checks, profiling, or tracing suspects.

Operational Hurdles and Technical Feedback

Despite the surge in usage, some state police units have reported technical bottlenecks, including slow logins and delayed data retrieval , which undermine its promise of real-time functioning. These issues have been flagged to the Home Ministry for upgrades and optimisation.

Exam Oriented Facts

• NATGRID was conceived in 2009 after the Mumbai 26/11 attacks.

• Logs ~45,000 requests monthly from authorised officers.

• Access extended to SP-ranked officers nationwide.

• Integrated with CCTNS , covering nearly 14,000 police stations .