A wave of surrenders is unfolding across India’s Red Corridor—the central and eastern regions where Naxalites have held sway for decades.
In the past two days, 258 Naxals have given up arms and joined the mainstream—197 in Chhattisgarh, and 61 in Maharashtra.
The announcement was made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday.
He also reiterated the central government’s commitment to completely eradicate Left Wing Extremism from the country by March 31, 2026.
And the government seems to be close to achieving that goal.
Naxal influence down
At its peak in the late 2000s, the Red Corridor spanned nearly 180 districts, encompassing a large part of India’s population.
Today, that figure has come down to just 18, according to the government’s statistics.
In the last 10 years alone, over 8,000 Naxalites have laid down their arms.
From 2024 up to March 2025, security forces have eliminated nearly 380 Naxalites under the government’s zero-tolerance policy.
This has led to a sharp reduction in the Naxal-related violence, with several affected districts being reintegrated into the national mainstream.
A combination of factors appears to have been working for the government.
Counter ops successful
From counterinsurgency operations to effective rehabilitation schemes—the insurgents are being encouraged to lay down their arms.
To bring several Naxals back into the mainstream, several states introduced their own surrender rehabilitation policies—offering an immediate grant of Rs 1.5 lakh, a stipend of Rs 2000 for 3 years, vocational training and incentives for surrendering weapons.
Apart from security and welfare measures, the Naxal movement is said to have been losing its ideological appeal.
The Naxal insurgents, inspired by Maoist philosophies, once sought to undermine the Indian state through armed rebellion and parallel governance structures.
That idea now seems to hold less sway among the younger tribals, who were the force behind the Naxal movement.
They are increasingly focused on education, employment, and integration into mainstream society.
