Strategic Push to Eliminate Naxalism by 2026: UPSC Current Affairs Story Arc

Overview

This arc tracks the Indian government's decisive final push to eradicate Left-Wing Extremism (LWE). Union Home Minister Amit Shah shifted the narrative from open-ended conflict to a time-bound mission, consistently citing March 2026 as the terminal point for Maoism. The strategy evolved from an initial 'soft' appeal for surrender in early 2025 to a 'no-talks' hardline stance by October 2025. This 'iron fist in a velvet glove' approach is backed by massive infrastructure deployment (68 night-landing helipads) and a multi-dimensional development model focused on the Bastar region. It represents a paradigm shift from containment to total elimination.

How This Story Evolved

Deadline announced in Parliament (Item 7) → Appeal for surrender (Item 2) → Deadline reiterated (Item 10) → Stance hardens/Talks rejected (Item 4) → MHA releases progress stats (Item 12)

1. 2025-03-21: Amit Shah asserts Naxalism will end by March 2026
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Amit Shah asserts Naxalism will end by March 2026.

   Key Facts:

   • Amit Shah
   • Rajya Sabha
   • Naxalism will end by March 2026
   • Narendra Modi government
   • Article 370 abrogated
   • Home Minister Amit Shah
   • Naxalism will end in India by March 2026
   • Government has zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism
   • Modi government abrogated Article 370
2. 2025-04-05: Amit Shah appeals to Maoists to lay down arms
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

   Key Facts:

   • Amit Shah made the appeal to Maoists on April 5, 2025.
3. 2025-04-17: Amit Shah: Naxalism to Be Eliminated by March 2026
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Amit Shah sets Naxalism elimination target: March 31, 2026.

   Key Facts:

   • Amit Shah
   • Naxalism elimination target: March 31, 2026
   • Role of CAPF and CRPF
4. 2025-10-04: Amit Shah Sets Deadline to End Maoism
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Amit Shah declares talks with Maoists off the table, urges surrender.

   Key Facts:

   • Amit Shah
   • Maoists
   • surrender and rehabilitation policy
   • Bastar Dussehra Lokotsav
   • Swadeshi Mela
   • Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh
   • March 31, 2026
5. 2025-10-12: Decline of the Maoist Movement
   More details

   UPSC Angle: MHA aims to eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026.

   Key Facts:

   • Eradication Goal: Ministry of Home Affairs aims to eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026
   • 320 new security camps and 68 night-landing helipads were established between 2019 and 2025
   • Development spending in Maoist-affected districts has risen by 300% since 2019
   • Over 10,000 projects and 14,600 km of roads completed since 2019

Genesis

Trigger

Union Home Minister Amit Shah's declaration in the Rajya Sabha on March 21, 2025, asserting that Naxalism would be eradicated by March 2026.

Why Now

A combination of factors: the successful reduction of the LWE footprint to a few pockets in Chhattisgarh, the completion of major infrastructure like 14,600 km of roads, and the political will to replicate 'Northeast-style' peace settlements in central India.

Historical Context

Connects to the 2015 'National Policy and Action Plan' which first integrated security and development. It follows decades of 'greyhounds' operations and the 'Salwa Judum' era, aiming to finish what previous operations started.

Key Turning Points

1. [2025-04-05] Public appeal for Maoists to lay down arms

   Established the 'last chance' window for insurgents before the security forces intensified their posture.

   Before: Ongoing attrition; After: Clear ultimatum given to the cadre.

2. [2025-10-04] Amit Shah declares 'Talks are off the table' in Jagdalpur

   Marked the official shift to a hardline kinetic-only approach for those who refused to surrender.

   Before: Possibility of dialogue; After: No room for negotiation, only surrender or elimination.

Key Actors and Institutions

Key Institutions

• Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
• Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
• Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF)
• Bastar Dussehra Lokotsav (Cultural platform used for policy outreach)

Key Concepts

Left Wing Extremism (LWE)

A form of armed insurgency that seeks to overthrow the state through protracted people's war, primarily active in tribal belts.

Current Fact: The government has set a hard deadline of March 31, 2026, for its total elimination.

Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy

A state-led program offering amnesty, financial assistance, and vocational training to insurgents who lay down arms.

Current Fact: In October 2025, Amit Shah urged Maoists to accept this policy while declaring formal talks are now 'off the table'.

Security-Development Nexus

The strategy that security operations (camps) and development (roads, schools) must happen simultaneously to sustainably end insurgency.

Current Fact: Development spending in Maoist-affected districts rose by 300% between 2019 and 2025.

What Happens Next

Current Status

As of October 12, 2025, the MHA has released a 'progress report' showing a 300% increase in development spending, signaling the transition from active combat to institutional consolidation.

Likely Next

Intensified 'clear and hold' operations in the Abujmad forest area; launch of specialized rehabilitation schemes for the final batch of surrendering cadres before the March 2026 deadline.

Wildcards

Internal leadership shifts within the CPI (Maoist) leading to desperate retaliatory strikes; potential legal challenges to the establishment of security camps on tribal lands.

Why UPSC Cares

Syllabus Topics

• Linkages between development and spread of extremism
• Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security

Essay Angles

• The ballot vs the bullet: India's victory over LWE
• Internal security as a prerequisite for social development

Prelims Likely: Yes

Mains Likely: Yes

Trend Signal: rising

Exam Intelligence

Previous Year Question Connections

• Scenario-based question on conflict resolution after a kidnapping in Bastar/Abujmad. — Highlights Bastar as the enduring epicentre of the conflict, now the focus of the 2026 deadline push.
• Role of Home Guards as auxiliary forces in internal security. — Relates to the role of CAPF and local auxiliaries (like Bastar Fighters) emphasized in the current arc's 320-camp expansion.

Prelims Angles

• March 31, 2026: The official MHA deadline for Naxal elimination.
• 320 new security camps and 68 night-landing helipads established since 2019.
• 300% increase in development spending in LWE-affected districts as a specific performance metric.

Mains Preparation

Sample Question: The government’s strategy to eliminate Naxalism by 2026 rests on the dual pillars of intensified security operations and targeted development. Critically analyze how this shift from 'containment' to 'elimination' impacts tribal rights and local governance in the Bastar region.

Answer Structure: Intro: Define LWE and the 2026 deadline → Body 1: The Security Pillar (CAPF expansion, night-landing helipads) → Body 2: The Development Pillar (300% spend increase, 14.6k km roads) → Critical Analysis: Challenges of tribal alienation vs. state presence → Conclusion: Way forward via PESA Act implementation and human-centric rehabilitation.

Essay Topic: The end of the Red Corridor: A milestone in India's democratic journey.

Textbook Connections

Key Takeaway

The Indian state has transitioned from a defensive 'management' of Naxalism to a proactive, resource-heavy 'elimination' strategy with a hard 2026 deadline.

All Events in This Story (5 items)

1. 2025-03-21 [Polity & Governance] — Amit Shah asserts Naxalism will end by March 2026
   Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated in the Rajya Sabha that Naxalism in India would be eradicated by March 2026, emphasizing the government's zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and the developmental progress achieved in the northeast region after the Modi government assumed power.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Amit Shah asserts Naxalism will end by March 2026.

   Key Facts:

   • Amit Shah
   • Rajya Sabha
   • Naxalism will end by March 2026
   • Narendra Modi government
   • Article 370 abrogated
   • Home Minister Amit Shah
   • Naxalism will end in India by March 2026
   • Government has zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism
   • Modi government abrogated Article 370
2. 2025-04-05 [Polity & Governance] — Amit Shah appeals to Maoists to lay down arms
   Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to Maoists to lay down arms and join the mainstream, stating that nobody feels happy when a Maoist is killed.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

   Key Facts:

   • Amit Shah made the appeal to Maoists on April 5, 2025.
3. 2025-04-17 [Defense & Security] — Amit Shah: Naxalism to Be Eliminated by March 2026
   Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that Naxalism will be eliminated from the country by March 31, 2026, with the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and the CRPF playing a major role.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Amit Shah sets Naxalism elimination target: March 31, 2026.

   Key Facts:

   • Amit Shah
   • Naxalism elimination target: March 31, 2026
   • Role of CAPF and CRPF
4. 2025-10-04 [Polity & Governance] — Amit Shah Sets Deadline to End Maoism
   Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared that talks with Maoists are off the table and urged them to surrender and accept the government's rehabilitation policy. Speaking at the 'Bastar Dussehra Lokotsav' and 'Swadeshi Mela' in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, Shah set a deadline of March 31, 2026, to eliminate Maoism.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Amit Shah declares talks with Maoists off the table, urges surrender.

   Key Facts:

   • Amit Shah
   • Maoists
   • surrender and rehabilitation policy
   • Bastar Dussehra Lokotsav
   • Swadeshi Mela
   • Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh
   • March 31, 2026
5. 2025-10-12 [Defense & Security] — Decline of the Maoist Movement
   The Ministry of Home Affairs aims to eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026, through intensified security operations and targeted development initiatives. Between 2019 and 2025, 320 new security camps and 68 night-landing helipads were established to expand the state’s presence in Maoist-affected areas. Since 2019, development spending in Maoist-affected districts has risen by 300%, with over 10,000 projects and 14,600 km of roads completed.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: MHA aims to eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026.

   Key Facts:

   • Eradication Goal: Ministry of Home Affairs aims to eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026
   • 320 new security camps and 68 night-landing helipads were established between 2019 and 2025
   • Development spending in Maoist-affected districts has risen by 300% since 2019
   • Over 10,000 projects and 14,600 km of roads completed since 2019