Urges law enforcement to convert digital crime challenges into opportunities
Attends 59th All India Conference of Director Generals/ Inspector Generals of Police
New Delhi, Dec 01: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called upon the police forces of the country to adopt the ‘SMART policing mantra’, with the ‘SMART’ acronym expanded to “strategic, meticulous, adaptable, reliable and transparent”.
Addressing the valedictory session of the 59th All-India Conference of Director Generals of Police/Inspector Generals of Police (DGPs/IGPs) at Bhubaneswar, Modi expressed concern over the rising threats posed by digital frauds, cyber-crimes, and AI technology, particularly the disruptive potential of deep fake technologies in undermining social and familial relations. As a countermeasure, he urged the police leadership to transform these challenges into opportunities by leveraging India’s dual AI power—Artificial Intelligence and “Aspirational India.”
Lauding the initiatives in urban policing and proposed that these initiatives be implemented across 100 cities in the country, the Prime Minister further proposed the idea of organising a National Police Hackathon, following the success of similar events in solving key problems.
PM Modi highlighted the extensive discussions held during the conference on both national and international security challenges. He expressed satisfaction over the counter-strategies that emerged from these deliberations.
Emphasising the importance of technology, the Prime Minister suggested using it to reduce the workload of constables and advocated for the Police Station to be made the central hub for resource allocation. The Prime Minister also stressed the need to expand the focus on port security and called for the formulation of a future action plan in this area.
Remembering Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s unparalleled contributions to the Ministry of Home Affairs, PM Modi urged the entire security establishment, from the MHA to the Police Station level, to pay tribute to Patel on his 150th birth anniversary next year. He encouraged them to resolve to achieve a goal that would enhance the image, professionalism, and capabilities of the police. The Prime Minister further called for modernisation of the police force to align with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India).
During the conference, discussions were held on a range of national security concerns, including counter-terrorism, left-wing extremism, cyber-crime, economic security, immigration, coastal security, and narcotics trafficking. Emerging security threats along the Bangladesh and Myanmar borders, trends in urban policing, and strategies to counter malicious narratives were also reviewed.
A comprehensive review of newly enacted criminal laws and best practices in policing was undertaken, alongside a discussion on the security situation in India’s neighborhood. PM Modi offered valuable insights and laid out a roadmap for the future of national security.
The conference, held in a hybrid format, saw the participation of Union Home Minister, Principal Secretary to PM, National Security Advisor, Ministers of State for Home, Union Home Secretary, DGsP/IGsP of all States/UTs, heads of the CAPF/CPOs, and over 750 officers from various ranks, both physically and virtually.
