The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID), a secure platform for police and agencies to access government and private databases in real time, handles about 45,000 requests each month, government officials told The Hindu. NATGRID started working last year after being planned since 2009 following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. At the recent DGP conference chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Raipur, law enforcement agencies, including state police, were instructed to increase use of NATGRID in investigations. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has told states to use the platform freely. It gives access to data like driving licenses, Aadhaar records, airline details, bank records, and social media posts on specific topics. Now, Superintendent of Police rank officers can access NATGRID. Earlier, only 10 central agencies such as Intelligence Bureau, RAW, NIA, ED, FIU, NCB, and DRI could use it. Some state police officials said they face hurdles in accessing information. One official mentioned that logging in takes too much time, while another said getting the needed info is slow, despite NATGRID promising real-time data. The platform was first planned under Congress leader P. Chidambaram, and gained new momentum under Home Minister Amit Shah in 2019. Differences between security agencies were solved and state police were given access. Officials said India is taking steps to improve security and protect data after many cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure. In 2024 alone, India saw over 20.41 lakh cybersecurity incidents, the highest since 2020. A government official said, "Instead of security agencies seeking data from multiple sources, NATGRID provides the information on a single platform. The confidentiality of the user is maintained, and the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) is not necessary. Information can be secured to join the dots during an investigation or to develop intelligence." In 2020, NATGRID signed an MoU with the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to access the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) database. CCTNS links about 14,000 police stations across India. All state police must register FIRs in CCTNS. NATGRID remains a key tool to help Indian police fight crime with faster, safer access to vital data.