Following the 2025 National Conference of Directors General of Police, the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has seen significant expansion, reportedly integrating with the National Population Register (NPR) database containing details of 1.19 billion residents.¹ Access is also being widened to state police units at the Superintendent of Police (SP) level.²
National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID)
NATGRID is a conceptual framework and middleware software designed to provide a “one-stop destination” for security and intelligence agencies to access scattered databases.³ It is first ever ‘Organised Crime Network Database’ to track organised criminals, terror links.
It was conceived after 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks (2008) to address the “intelligence failure” of not being able to connect scattered data points (e.g., visa records, travel itineraries, financial transactions).³
It is an attached office of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Currently, it operates via executive order and Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approval, rather than a specific Act of Parliament.⁴
It acts as a secure platform that links User Agencies (UAs) with Provider Organizations (POs). It does not store data itself but facilitates real-time querying across different departmental silos.⁴
| Nodal Ministry | Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) |
| User Agencies | 11 Central Agencies (e.g., IB, RAW, CBI, ED, NCB, NIA) |
| Data Categories | 21 categories including Bank details, PAN, Travel (Air/Rail), Immigration, Telecom |
| New Integrations | National Population Register (NPR), VAHAN/SARATHI, CCTNS |
| Technology Platform | “Gandiva” (Analytical engine for entity resolution/pattern recognition |
Points to note
NATGRID is NOT a centralized database that stores all citizen information in one giant server. It is middleware, bridge that allows agencies to access existing databases (like those of Banks or Railways) in real-time. It does not “own” the data; it facilitates the search across them.⁴
NATGRID was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in June 2012 through an executive decision, not by an Act of Parliament passed under ordinary law.
NATGRID has been linked to the National Population Register (NPR), which has the family-wise details of 119 crore residents in India.
Suspect image is fed into Gandiva(Analytical engine). If any document such as telecom KYC or vehicle registration or driving licence matches with the suspect photo, Gandiva can provide the details, thereby saving time and resources of an investigator.
Sources
1. The Hindu - "Intel grid linked to NPR with details of 119 crore residents" (Dec 26, 2025) / "National intelligence grid gains traction" (Dec 8, 2025).
2. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) - Annual Report & Notifications on Internal Security Platforms.
3. PIB Archive - "National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) set up to bolster India’s Capabilities" (Press Information Bureau).
4. NCERT Class 12 Politics/Geography - Concepts of Internal Security and Data Infrastructure (Reference for institutional definitions).
