Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) in India
Left-Wing Extremism refers to the insurgency conducted primarily by CPI (Maoist) and affiliated organisations, often described as the single largest internal security challenge facing India. The movement draws its ideology from Marxist-Leninist-Maoist thought and targets state authority in remote, forest-dependent regions where governance presence has historically been weak. The affected geography is commonly called the "Red Corridor," spanning tribal belt districts in central and eastern India.
- LWE-affected districts have declined sharply from 126 in 2018 to 38 in 2024 across seven states — Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Telangana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.
- The most severely affected districts currently number 6: four in Chhattisgarh (Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, Sukma), one in Jharkhand (West Singhbhum), and one in Maharashtra (Gadchiroli).
- Violent LWE incidents have declined by over 81%, from a peak of 1,936 in 2010 to 374 in 2024; civilian and security force deaths have fallen by 85% over the same period.
- Gadchiroli is the lone LWE-affected district in Maharashtra; it borders Chhattisgarh and Telangana and is heavily forested.
● Tracked since February 18, 2026 · last seen March 31, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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