Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 17, 2025, branded Naxalism a "sin" against the nation, declaring that "the day is not far away when India will be freed from the Red terror" of Maoist extremism. Addressing a media house event, Modi reaffirmed his government's unyielding commitment to eradicating the insurgency, which he described as an injustice robbing India's youth of opportunities and perpetuating violence in remote regions.

This pledge follows a dramatic surge in surrenders, with over 308 hardcore Maoist cadres laying down arms within 75 hours of a government ultimatum urging reintegration into civilian life. Modi's rhetoric underscores a decade-long offensive that has shrunk Maoist-affected districts from 125 in 2014 to just 11 today, reflecting intensified security operations, development outreach, and rehabilitation programmes in the "Red Corridor" spanning central and eastern India.

The Prime Minister's address wove national security with economic triumphs, spotlighting India's ascent as the world's fastest-growing major economy amid the crackdown on left-wing extremism. He cited Operation Sindoor, a recent counter-terrorism strike launched in retaliation to the Pahalgam killings in Jammu and Kashmir, as emblematic of India's assertive posture against cross-border threats from Pakistan-based militants. Naxalism, born in the 1967 Naxalbari uprising as a peasant revolt against feudalism, has evolved into a protracted insurgency claiming over 10,000 lives since the 1980s, often intertwined with resource exploitation in mineral-rich tribal belts.

Modi's administration has accelerated surrenders through incentives like Rs 2.5 lakh rehabilitation grants and skill training, building on predecessors' efforts while amplifying intelligence-led raids. "When there is a government completely dedicated to the Constitution, then even a person who has gone astray returns and fixes his eyes on the Constitution," Modi remarked, framing the Maoist decline as a triumph of democratic resolve over ideological extremism.

Modi juxtaposed these gains against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) era, lambasting Congress-led policies as a "politics of compulsion" marked by "paralysis and compromise with corruption," which he alleged exacerbated sectoral decay and emboldened insurgents through inaction. Under the current dispensation, India has pivoted toward self-reliance, or Atmanirbhar Bharat, manufacturing everything from semiconductor chips—bolstered by a $10 billion incentive scheme—to warships under the Make in India initiative.

This diversification has propelled defence exports to Rs 21,000 crore in FY24, reducing import dependence from 70% to under 50%. The Maoist ecosystem's dismantling aligns with broader reforms, including forest rights amendments empowering 2.5 million tribal families and infrastructure thrusts like 5G rollout in aspirational districts, which have lured former rebels back to mainstream society.

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As India hurtles toward a Naxal-free future—Modi's "guarantee"—the address signals a holistic strategy blending coercion with conciliation. With violence incidents down 77% since 2010 per government data, the remaining pockets in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand face heightened pressure from elite forces like the Greyhounds. Yet challenges persist, including socioeconomic disparities fuelling recruitment. Modi's vision extends to empowering surrendered cadres as community leaders, potentially transforming hotspots into growth engines. In a nation where youth unemployment hovers at 23%, eradicating Red Terror could unlock untapped potential, aligning security with the Amrit Kaal goals of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

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