Police in India need to use advances in technology and artificial intelligence to analyse crime databases and trends to strengthen the criminal justice system in the country, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Saturday.

“Advances in technology and artificial intelligence should be used by the police to improve and strengthen the criminal justice system in the country,” Shah said while inaugurating the two-day 49th All India Police Science Congress at the Forest Research Institute in Dehradun.

“India has deepened roots of democracy in 75 years of Independence. Now in Amrit Kaal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target to make India best in every field in 25 years,” the home minister said. “Apart from hard work and ardent efforts, we need better internal security and better border security to achieve this. No country can develop without good internal security and good border security.”

Speaking on efforts to bring new policing laws and move away from colonial-era codes, Shah said, “As society and crime trends change, laws also need to change.” He also urged better coordination between police and various agencies and institutions in the country.

The use of artificial intelligence in anti-corruption investigations is revolutionary, said Raja Srivastava, additional director general of police, Uttar Pradesh.

“Changes have come at every level. Using modern technology, the investigations can be done in a timely manner by analysing data in a short time. Digital behaviour report of criminals helps a lot in investigation,” Srivastava said. “At present, good results have been obtained in many investigations using financial and behaviour analyses, which provide a strong basis to the evidence in the courts.”

The police science congress is organised by Uttarakhand Police under the aegis of the Bureau of Police Development and Research, an arm of the Union home ministry. Five themes have been selected for the congress, including Policing in the 5G Era; Narcotics: A Game Changing Approach; Coordination between Police and CAPFs (Central Armed Police Forces ); Internal Security; and Social Media Challenges and Community Policing.

A police tech exhibition is also being organised. Around 30 stalls have been set up in the exhibition in which latest equipment for better policing have been displayed.