Insurgency Crumbles: How India Is Reclaiming the Red Corridor—One District at a Time

India stands at a historic turning point in its internal security narrative, as the decades-old Naxalite insurgency—often described as the country’s gravest internal threat—faces an imminent collapse. In a landmark achievement, security forces in Chhattisgarh have eliminated Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, the top Maoist leader and General Secretary of the CPI (Maoist). This is the first time in over 30 years that the highest-ranking figure of the Naxal movement has been neutralised, delivering a crippling blow to the insurgency’s leadership structure.

The operation, notably carried out not by the CRPF but by Chhattisgarh Police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG), underscores a strategic shift in India's counter-insurgency approach. The DRG comprises surrendered Naxals and tribal youth from the Bastar region, individuals with deep knowledge of local terrain and insurgent tactics. Their success exemplifies the transformation of former Naxal recruits into frontline warriors for peace and security.

Following the DRG’s success model, Chhattisgarh Police launched the ‘Bastar Fighters’ in 2022—an elite tribal force drawn from remote, once-inaccessible villages. These recruits are now penetrating deep into Maoist strongholds, denying insurgents safe havens and dismantling their operational networks.

The current leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has pursued an unflinching, comprehensive strategy to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism (LWE). Their governance has pivoted from piecemeal policies of past administrations to a clear, uncompromising vision through the ‘SAMADHAN’ doctrine—a well-rounded, eight-point plan that focuses on smart leadership, aggressive strategy, actionable intelligence, technology, and cutting financial support to the rebels.

Under this doctrine:

• Security forces have reclaimed control over former Maoist-dominated areas.

• Intelligence-sharing and inter-state coordination have improved drastically.

• Maoist extortion and funding networks have been choked.

• Developmental initiatives have accelerated across the Red Corridor.

Previously, over 200 districts were under Naxal influence. Today, that number has plummeted to just six. Formerly neglected regions are witnessing rapid transformation: thousands of kilometres of roads are connecting tribal hamlets; mobile towers are improving communication; and schools, banks, healthcare centres, and skill development institutes are bringing government services to once-isolated populations.

This aggressive yet inclusive campaign has not only dismantled the insurgency militarily but has also empowered tribal communities economically and socially. It marks the beginning of the end for an ideology that thrived on alienation and violence.

As India marches towards its ‘Amrit Kaal’ vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047, securing its mineral-rich heartlands is vital. The defeat of Naxalism represents more than a tactical triumph—it affirms the strength of Indian democracy and showcases the nation’s ability to reconcile with its past, reclaim its territories, and turn former insurgents into peacekeepers.

With Basavaraju’s elimination and the continued success of local forces like the DRG and Bastar Fighters, India edges closer to completely eradicating the Naxal threat—an achievement that will go down as a defining milestone in the country’s post-Independence internal security history.

Also Read: Inside the Hunt for Basavaraju: How Chhattisgarh Forces Tracked and Killed Top Maoist