There was a time, not too long ago, when vast stretches of India functioned under the shadow of a parallel authority—an armed insurgency that openly challenged the sovereignty of the Indian state. Left-Wing Extremism, once described by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as the “single biggest internal security threat,” was not merely a question of law and order; it represented a deep fracture in India’s democratic framework. The so-called Red Corridor extended across more than 200 districts, cutting through central and eastern India and leaving behind a landscape marked by violence, fear, and the near-total absence of governance.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in his March 30 address, stated: “Naxalism in the country is now on the verge of extinction.” His assertion reflects not just optimism, but a shift grounded in measurable change.
ORIGINS AND EXPANSION OF THE INSURGENCY
The roots of this insurgency go back to the late 1960s, when the uprising in Naxalbari, West Bengal, gradually evolved into a sustained Maoist movement. What began as a localized rebellion soon transformed into a protracted conflict, exploiting socio-economic vulnerabilities in tribal and remote regions. By the 1970s, it had assumed the character of a full-fledged internal security threat, embedding itself across difficult terrain and building a network that combined ideology with armed struggle. Over the decades, it disrupted development, stalled state outreach, and claimed thousands of lives.
The human cost of this conflict has been staggering. From 2000 onwards, during the most intense phase of escalation, nearly 12,000 lives were lost, including over 3,000 security personnel and more than 4,000 civilians. In the broader timeline since 1980, fatalities have crossed 15,000. At its peak in the mid-2000s, the insurgency spread across 10 states, creating one of the most complex internal security challenges the country has faced since Independence.
DECADE OF DRIFT: 2004-2014
The period between 2004 and 2014 marked the zenith of this crisis. Annual incidents of violence ranged between 1,900 and over 2,200, while fatalities consistently exceeded 1,000 each year. Entire districts slipped beyond effective administrative control. Incidents such as the Dantewada massacre of 2010, where 76 CRPF personnel were killed, and the Jhiram Ghati attack of 2013, which wiped out senior political leadership in Chhattisgarh, underscored the scale and audacity of the threat.
Equally significant was the ambiguity that surrounded the national response. At a time when clarity was essential, the discourse often blurred the line between legitimate grievance and violent insurgency. The absence of a coherent, unified approach allowed extremist groups to consolidate their influence, feeding both on governance deficits and on a narrative that questioned the legitimacy of the state’s actions.
A STRATEGIC SHIFT AFTER 2014
The shift that followed after 2014 marked a decisive turning point. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Home Minister Amit Shah driving execution with clarity and consistency, India’s approach to Naxalism underwent a fundamental transformation. What emerged was not just a reduction in violence, but a redefinition of strategy—firm in intent, coordinated in action, and grounded in measurable outcomes.
The results of this shift are evident in hard data. From nearly 2,000 incidents annually at its peak, Naxal-related violence has declined to around 374 incidents in 2024, representing a reduction of over 80%. Fatalities, which once exceeded 1,000 annually, have dropped to around 150, marking a decline of more than 85%. The geographical footprint of the insurgency has contracted just as sharply. From 126 affected districts in 2014, the number has reduced dramatically, with the most intense activity now confined to a handful of districts in the Bastar region.
SECURITY, DEVELOPMENT, REHABILITATION
A critical dimension of this transformation has been the strategic clarity brought into execution. Under Home Minister Amit Shah, the response has evolved into a comprehensive and multi-layered campaign that integrates security, development, and rehabilitation. The expansion of the security grid, with over 250 forward camps in critical areas such as Abujhmad, has ensured sustained presence and area domination. Supported by advanced surveillance technologies and coordinated intelligence, these efforts have led to the neutralisation of 1,000+ Naxal leaders since 2019, fundamentally weakening the insurgency’s command structure.
At the same time, development has been deployed not as a parallel effort, but as a strategic force multiplier. Investments exceeding Rs 10,000 crore in roads, connectivity, and essential services have transformed regions once considered inaccessible. Thousands of kilometres of roads and thousands of mobile towers have bridged isolation, bringing governance to the last mile. Districts like Dantewada today reflect this shift, where connectivity and opportunity are steadily replacing insurgency.
The surrender and rehabilitation policy has further accelerated this transition. With financial incentives ranging from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, the policy has encouraged a steady flow of cadres to return to the mainstream. 928 surrenders in 2024 and over 700 in early 2025 signal a deeper collapse of morale and ideological commitment within the movement.
FINAL PHASE: OPERATIONS OF 2026
The operations undertaken in 2026 represent the closing chapter of this long battle. Intensified, coordinated offensives across multiple states have targeted the remaining pockets of resistance with precision. In Bastar, the last major epicentre, over 90% of the region is now free from Naxal influence, with only a few dozen militants confined to isolated pockets.
Security forces have combined sustained ground presence with advanced surveillance to ensure that regrouping is no longer possible. In parallel, surrender rates continue to rise, with 300+ cadres laying down arms in the early months of 2026 alone. These efforts build on earlier operations that neutralised key leadership, dismantled infrastructure, and recovered large quantities of arms and explosives—bringing violence down to its lowest level in decades.
RESTORING THE REPUBLIC
What distinguishes this transformation is not merely the decline of an insurgency, but the restoration of the Indian state in areas where it had once receded. Governance has replaced absence, opportunity has replaced alienation, and confidence has replaced fear. The narrative that once sustained Naxalism has steadily eroded in the face of visible and sustained development.
This journey is ultimately about reaffirming the authority of the Constitution in every corner of the country. It is about ensuring that no citizen remains beyond the reach of governance and no region is left vulnerable to violence in the name of ideology. Above all, it is a tribute to the over 15,000 lives lost in this decades-long battle.
India today stands at a defining moment. The Red Corridor, once a symbol of fragmentation and fear, is receding into history. In its place is emerging a new landscape—one defined by connectivity, development, and the steady presence of the state.
A Naxal-free Bharat is no longer a distant goal. It is an outcome that is steadily taking shape, built on clarity of purpose, strength of execution, and an unwavering commitment to national unity.
- Pradeep Bhandari is National Spokesperson of the BJP.
