India's Maoist insurgency once controlled 200 districts across ten states, with varying degrees of fear or allegiance. It now has control of only seven. Over 12,000 people died in Naxal-related violence between 2000 and 2019. In 2024, that number was 290, which is still significant, but a fraction of what it was before. Reports indicate that no new cadres have been recruited since 2019. Illustration by The Geostrata To truly grasp the reality of a Naxal cleanup, one must g

The Honourable Minister of Home Affairs, in a bold claim, stated the centre would wipe out Naxalism from India by March 2026. While top Naxal leaders like Hidma and Nambala Keshava Rao are already eliminated, there are a few more miles to go before Naxalism is completely wiped out from India. Illustration by The Geostrata NAXALISM: THE BEGINNING A group of political insurgents driven by Maoist ideologies is called Naxals, Naxalwadis, or Naxalites. They advocate armed rebelli

India has a unique neighbourhood, with terrorism spilling over borders, political unrest shaking its periphery, and instability brewing...

It was the Chinese revolution that inspired the Indian Communists the most, and particularly the character of Mao Zedong.