The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has proposed a data fusion centre in Delhi to connect facial recognition cameras at major airports with a wider surveillance and intelligence network, including NATGRID, a government platform that allows security agencies to access multiple databases in real time, according to an ANI report.

CISF Director General Praveer Ranjan announced the proposal on June 22 at the foundation-laying ceremony for the force’s new headquarters in New Delhi. He said, “a data fusion centre is proposed to be set up in Delhi.”

Ranjan also said, “the process of integrating facial recognition systems across all major airports in the country is under consideration with the concerned ministries.”

Scale of the system: The plan could bring feeds from around 1.5 lakh CCTV cameras under CISF security cover into a central system. These cameras cover airports and other critical sites such as metro networks, ports, power plants, and government buildings.

Reports differ on the first airports where authorities may deploy the system. The Hindu reported that authorities propose linking facial recognition cameras at six major airports, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkata, with NATGRID. Hindustan Times reported that the CISF has sought permission for at least four airports: Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kolkata.

The stated aim is to help identify fugitives and suspects in real time. Officials said authorities may install the facial recognition system at specific locations, such as airport entry and exit gates, rather than across all camera feeds.

Why NATGRID matters: The proposal is significant because NATGRID is not just an airport security tool. It is a central intelligence platform created after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks to give authorized agencies quick access to government and private databases. These can include driving licence records, vehicle registration, Aadhaar, bank records, FASTag, airline data, passport and travel details, tax records, telecom and internet metadata, and suspicious financial transaction reports.

NATGRID became operational in 2024 and was earlier available to 10 central agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing, National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate, Financial Intelligence Unit (RAW), and Narcotics Control Bureau. The government later extended NATGRID access to Superintendent of Police (SP)-rank officers.

Recent expansion: The platform has also expanded in recent months. In December 2025, NATGRID was linked to the National Population Register, which contains family-wise details of 119 crore residents. The report also said NATGRID was receiving around 45,000 requests a month. In February 2026, the Enforcement Directorate asked its zonal heads to increase the use of NATGRID and FINnet while pursuing its target of filing 500 prosecution complaints.

Privacy concerns: This wider use gives the CISF proposal a larger privacy and accountability dimension. If authorities connect airport facial recognition systems to NATGRID, the platform could match passenger data against multiple government and private datasets. Officials have said privacy and data protection safeguards will remain a priority, but the reports do not specify what legal checks, technical limits, or independent oversight will apply.

India already uses biometric systems at airports through Digi Yatra, which allows passengers to pass through checkpoints using facial recognition instead of physical documents. But the CISF proposal goes beyond passenger convenience and places facial recognition within a law enforcement and intelligence framework.

The National Crime Records Bureau already uses an automated facial recognition system to identify suspects, missing persons, and unidentified bodies. Delhi Police also used facial recognition during investigations into the 2019 Delhi riots, drawing criticism from digital rights groups over risks to speech, assembly, and political participation.

At the same event, Ranjan said the CISF is conducting trials of full-body scanners at airports in Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kochi and is setting up integrated command and control centres at critical installations.

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