Left-Wing Extremism in India
Origins, Ideology, and the Red Corridor
Left-Wing Extremism in India refers to the Naxalite–Maoist insurgency, tracing its origins to the 1967 peasant uprising at Naxalbari village in West Bengal. The movement draws from Maoist ideology — armed agrarian revolution by landless peasants and tribal communities against exploitative state and class structures. The Communist Party of India (Maoist) — formed in 2004 through the merger of the People's War Group (Andhra Pradesh) and the Maoist Communist Centre (Bihar/Jharkhand) — became the principal LWE organisation.
- CPI (Maoist) was at its peak strength around 2009–2011, operating across 223 districts in 20 states — dubbed the "Red Corridor" spanning from Nepal border to Andhra Pradesh
- The Red Corridor at peak included parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh
- By 2024, active presence reduced to 38 districts concentrated in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Telangana
- The insurgency exploited governance deficits, displacement due to mining projects, lack of land rights for tribal communities, and absence of state services in forested areas
- CPI (Maoist) is designated a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967
● Tracked since March 22, 2026 · last seen June 13, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
13 Jun '26
In first post-Naxal investment push, Chhattisgarh receives proposals worth Rs 9,580 crore
Economics
30 Mar '26
Barring one, entire top leadership of Maoists wiped out, Amit Shah tells Lok Sabha
Internal Security
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