Guwahati, May 8: Assam has stepped up efforts to strengthen intelligence-sharing and internal security by accelerating the integration of state databases with the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID). Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kota on Friday participated in a high-level video conference chaired by the Union Home Secretary to review the implementation and integration of NATGRID across States and Union Territories.
 |
Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kota chairs a meeting on NATGRID integration and intelligence-sharing systems with senior officials in Guwahati on Thursday. (Image: X/CSAssam_) |
The meeting brought together Chief Secretaries, Advisors to Administrators of various States and Union Territories, and senior police officials, including the Director General of Police (DGP), Assam. The review focused on enhancing coordination between the Centre and the States to enable secure, efficient, and seamless sharing of intelligence among authorised agencies.
According to officials, NATGRID is an attached office under the Ministry of Home Affairs and was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). It serves as a secure intelligence-sharing platform designed to strengthen national and internal security by providing authorised agencies with timely access to information from multiple government databases. The platform plays a crucial role in supporting counter-terrorism operations, crime prevention, and national security investigations.
During the review meeting, detailed discussions were held on integrating databases maintained by State governments and Union Territories with the NATGRID platform. Officials examined strategies to ensure secure connectivity and interoperability so that authorised agencies can access relevant information while maintaining strict data security and privacy protocols.
The meeting also reviewed the proposed inclusion of several categories of databases into the NATGRID ecosystem. These include Smart City databases, utility billing records, land and property registration details, crime and criminal offence databases, licensing records, educational databases, and beneficiary-oriented government scheme databases. Officials noted that integrating these databases would significantly improve the ability of law enforcement agencies to analyse information, identify threats, and respond swiftly to security challenges.
Participants were informed about the growing adoption of NATGRID by States and Union Territories across the country. Officials also highlighted ongoing capacity-building initiatives aimed at training police personnel and enforcement agencies in effectively utilising the platform for intelligence gathering and investigation.
ALSO READ: ABSU Sets 10-Day Deadline to Resolve Issues Faced by Bodo Medium Students
Following the meeting, Chief Secretary Ravi Kota directed all concerned departments of the Assam Government to identify, catalogue, and map the databases under their respective jurisdictions for integration with NATGRID in accordance with prescribed technical standards and protocols.
He emphasised the importance of timely inter-departmental coordination and instructed departments to work closely with technical agencies for API development, secure connectivity, and other integration-related processes. He also stressed the need to complete the exercise within the stipulated timeframe to support the state's efforts in strengthening intelligence-sharing and internal security.
Senior officials from various departments of the Assam Government were present during the meeting. Authorities said the integration of state databases with NATGRID is expected to enhance Assam's security infrastructure, improve coordination among law enforcement agencies, and contribute to a more robust national intelligence network.
