Union Home Minister Amit Shah has affirmed on many occasions that the Government of India is committed to eradicating Naxalism by 2026. Recently, the security forces eliminated Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of CPI-Maoist, in an operation in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh. This has been one of the biggest successes in the fight against Naxalims and if reports are to be believed, it indicates security forces’ growing intel network even in the core formation of the Naxal groups.
“This is the first time in three decades of Bharat’s battle against Naxalism that a general secretary-ranked leader has been neutralized by our forces. I applaud our brave security forces and agencies for this major breakthrough. Also glad to share that after the completion of Operation Black Forest, 54 Naxalites have been arrested and 84 Naxalites have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. The Modi government is resolved to eliminate Naxalism before the 31st of March 2026,” said Union Minister Amit Shah on May 21.
While developments like roads, schools and free ration schemes are helping the poor in the naxal-affected belts, the areas infected with ‘red terror’ have shrunk in the past 15 years due to multiple factors including intense combing operations by the security forces. The advent of technologies like surveillance drones, loitering ammunition and munition drones have given a boost to the security forces.
Notably, the Narendra Modi government formulated a comprehensive ‘National Policy and Action Plan’ to eradicate Maoist violence in 2015. “Along with zero tolerance towards violence, we have also focused on a massive push to infrastructure and social empowerment to bring a positive change in the lives of the poor people in these regions,” PM Modi had said.
Naxalbari- Left Wing Extremism
Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), also known as Naxalism, poses a significant internal security threat to India. This movement, driven by Maoist ideology and stemming from deep-seated socio-economic disparities, has historically impacted India’s most isolated, underdeveloped, and tribal-majority areas. Its objective has been to destabilize the Indian state through armed insurrection and the establishment of parallel governance, frequently targeting security forces, public infrastructure, and democratic systems.
Emerging from the 1967 Naxalbari movement in West Bengal, LWE primarily expanded through the “Red Corridor,” influencing states such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. While Maoist insurgents assert they are championing the rights of the marginalized, especially tribal communities, their tactics involve armed violence, extortion, infrastructure destruction, and the recruitment of children and civilians.
LWE Affected Districts
According to the MHA, the number of LWE-affected districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018, 70 in July 2021 and further to 38 in April 2024. Out of the total Naxalism-affected districts, the number of most affected districts has been reduced from 12 to 6, which include four districts from Chhattisgarh (Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, and Sukma), one from Jharkhand (West Singhbhum), and one from Maharashtra (Gadchiroli). Similarly, out of the total 38 affected districts, the number of Districts of Concern, where additional resources need to be intensively provided beyond the severely affected districts, has reduced from 9 to 6.
These 6 districts are: Andhra Pradesh (Alluri Sitarama Raju), Madhya Pradesh (Balaghat), Odisha (Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Malkangiri), and Telangana (Bhadradri-Kothagudem). Due to persistent action against Naxalism, the number of Other LWE-affected Districts has also decreased from 17 to 6. These include districts from Chhattisgarh (Dantewada, Gariaband, and Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki), Jharkhand (Latehar), Odisha (Nuapada), and Telangana (Mulugu). In the last 10 years, over 8,000 Naxalites have abandoned the path of violence, and consequently, the number of Naxal-affected districts has reduced to fewer than 20.
The MHA said that the incidents of violence by LWE which reached its highest level of 1936 in 2010 have reduced to 374 in 2024 i.e. a reduction of 81%. The total number of deaths (civilians + security forces) has also reduced by 85% during this period from 1,005 deaths in 2010 to 150 in 2024.
Notably, the government has been providing significant financial assistance of Rs 30 crore to most affected Districts and Rs 10 crore to Districts of Concern under Special Central Assistance (SCA), to fill the gaps in public infrastructure.
Choking The Naxalites
To financially choke the Naxalites and break their financial backbone, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate were used, seizing several crores of rupees from Naxalites. Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), cases were filed, and those who funded the Naxalites were sent behind bars. To bring development to Naxal-affected areas, the budget allocation for these regions was increased by 300%.
Besides, as part of the zero-tolerance policy against Naxalism, 90 Naxals have been killed, 104 arrested, and 164 have surrendered in the year, by March 2025. In 2024, 290 Naxalites were neutralized, 1,090 were arrested, and 881 surrendered. More and more Naxals are today eager to lay down their weapons.
The Karreguttalu Hill Battle
The border areas of Sukma and Bijapur, which are the strongholds of Naxalites, including the most powerful armed organizations like the PLGA Battalion, CRC Company, and the Telangana State Committee, have been home to several top cadres. In this area, under challenging circumstances, the security forces established numerous new security camps, which increased their dominance. As a result, the Naxalites formed a Unified Command and took refuge in the Karreguttalu Hill (KGH), considered impregnable, located at the border of Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, and Mulugu, Telangana. KGH is an extremely difficult hilly region, approximately 60 km long and 5 to 20 km wide, with a very tough and challenging geographical terrain. Over the past two and a half years, the Naxalites established their base in this area, where around 300-350 armed cadres, including the technical department (TD Unit) of the PLGA Battalion and other important organizations, took refuge. Based on the inputs received, a comprehensive and well-coordinated plan was prepared, and on April 21, 2025, the Chhattisgarh Police and Central Armed Police Forces launched a large-scale joint operation.
In this operation at KGH, a multi-agency special team was formed for the collection, collation and analysis of technical, human intelligence and field inputs received from various intelligence agencies. Using the gathered intelligence, the team conducted meticulous planning of the operation, including determining the strength of deployed forces, scheduling continuous mobilization and arranging timely replacements. The intelligence inputs were continuously analyzed and relayed in real-time to field commanders, which enabled security forces to locate Naxalite operatives, their hideouts and arms caches while also helping to prevent casualties from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on several occasions. This operation stands as the largest, most comprehensive and well-coordinated anti-Naxal campaign to date — a notable example of seamless cooperation between various state and central agencies operating in unison on a unified platform.
Multi-Dimensional Approach
Ministry of Home Affairs has claimed that India’s multi-dimensional counter-LWE strategy – combining security enforcement, inclusive development, and community engagement – has delivered significant success. The LWE movement has been systematically weakened, violence has drastically declined, and many LWE-affected districts are being reintegrated into the national mainstream. With the number of Districts of Concern down to single digits and the security forces getting advanced weapons and support from the government, the Naxalism is bound to suffer further setbacks and if not by March 2026, it’s likely to end in the coming two years.
