"Naxal-Free by March 2026": Amit Shah Sets the Final Deadline

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has formally declared March 31, 2026, as the definitive deadline to eradicate Naxalism from India. Speaking on November 28, 2025, Shah confirmed that security forces have neutralized 270 Maoist cadres this year—the highest annual toll since 2009—signaling that the state's "offensive defense" strategy has pushed the insurgency to the brink of collapse. The announcement comes as the number of Naxal-affected districts has plummeted from 126 in 2014 to just 11 today, with the government preparing for a final, decisive push into the movement's last stronghold: the Abujhmarh forest.

The Context (How We Got Here)

This deadline is the culmination of a decade-long squeeze. Since 2014, the government has combined fortified police stations (586 built) with relentless intelligence-led operations. The turning point came in May 2025 with the elimination of Maoist General Secretary Basavaraju, creating a leadership vacuum that has yet to be filled. The movement, once controlling a "Red Corridor" across central India, is now confined to a few hundred square kilometers in Bastar. However, the rapid military gains mask a persistent challenge: while the armed insurgency is dying, the "urban network" of ideological support remains largely intact.

The Key Players (Who & So What)

Amit Shah (Union Home Minister): The architect of the eradication strategy. His declaration of a hard deadline puts political capital on the line, signaling supreme confidence in the security apparatus.
Sundarraj Pattilingam (IG, Bastar): The operational commander on the ground. His assessment that the Maoist leadership is "disjointed and demoralised" reflects the tactical reality of a force that has lost its command-and-control structure.
Cherukuri Rajkumar (Ganapathi): The last standing Politburo member. At 75, he represents the fading ideological core of the movement. His capture or neutralization would symbolically end the Naxal era.

The BIGSTORY Reframe

While the headlines celebrate the "end of Naxalism," the deeper story is the "Technological Asymmetry." This isn't a traditional counter-insurgency victory; it's a tech-driven dismantling. Security forces are using AI-powered drones with thermal imaging to penetrate the dense canopy of Abujhmarh, a region that was once a black hole for intelligence. Algorithms are analyzing call logs to predict movements, and satellite imagery is identifying hideouts that human patrols could never find. The war is being won because the jungle no longer offers cover from the sky. The Naxals are not just being outfought; they are being out-computed.

The Implications (Why This Changes Things)

Meeting the March 2026 deadline would mark a historic internal security milestone for India, freeing up thousands of paramilitary troops for other borders. Economically, it opens the resource-rich Bastar region to mining and development—a double-edged sword that could either uplift tribal communities or trigger a new wave of displacement-driven unrest. The challenge post-2026 will not be fighting insurgents, but integrating thousands of surrendered cadres and addressing the root causes—land rights and neglect—that fueled the rebellion for 50 years.

The Closing Question (Now, Think About This)

We can kill the gunman with a drone, but do we have a technology that can kill the ideology of grievance?

FAQs

Can India really be Naxal-free by March 2026? The government is confident, citing the reduction of Naxal-affected districts from 126 to 11 and the neutralization of 270 cadres in 2025. However, experts warn that while the armed insurgency may be crushed, the "urban network" and root ideological causes may persist beyond the deadline.

How many Naxalites are left in India in 2025? Intelligence estimates suggest only about 500-600 hardcore armed cadres remain, mostly confined to the dense Abujhmarh forest in Chhattisgarh. The top leadership (Politburo and Central Committee) has been decimated, shrinking from over 25 members to just a handful.

What is Operation Kagar? Operation Kagar is the intensified, intelligence-led counter-insurgency offensive launched in 2024-25. It focuses on establishing security camps deep in core Naxal areas (like Abujhmarh), using drone surveillance, and cutting off supply lines to dismantle the ecosystem.

Why did Basavaraju's death matter? Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju was the General Secretary and military mastermind of the CPI (Maoist). His death in May 2025 created a massive leadership vacuum, leaving the organization without a unified command strategy and accelerating its collapse.

Are Naxalites still active in Chhattisgarh? Yes, but their influence is severely restricted. They are now largely confined to the Abujhmarh forest in the Bastar region. While they can still launch isolated IED attacks, they have lost the ability to hold territory or conduct large-scale ambushes.

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Brajesh Mishra Associate Editor

Brajesh Mishra is an Associate Editor at BIGSTORY NETWORK, specializing in daily news from India with a keen focus on AI, technology, and the automobile sector. He brings sharp editorial judgment and a passion for delivering accurate, engaging, and timely stories to a diverse audience.