Context:

• This article highlights the politics and decline of Left-Wing Extremism in India, contrasting it with persisting global terrorism threats.
• It traces the rise and fall of Naxalism, evaluates government strategies against it, and examines the misuse of the term “urban naxals.”
• The analysis underscores how India’s context, policies, and sustained campaigns have led to a significant decline in ideologically-driven violence, marking a unique path compared to global trends.

Global Terrorism Concerns

• Even 25 years after the 9/11 attacks, terrorism remains a persistent threat worldwide.
• Islamic State (IS)-inspired attacks, including vehicle rammings like the one in New Orleans (January 2025), highlight the continuing menace.
• Online campaigns encourage lone-wolf strikes, while rising anti-Israel protests further fuel extremist propaganda.
• Counter-terror experts warn that with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and access to bio-weapons, future terrorism could become even more destructive.

India’s Contrasting Experience

• In sharp contrast to global trends, India has witnessed a steady decline in ideologically-driven terrorism, particularly Naxalism.
• Union Home Minister has even declared that by mid-2026, Naxalism could be fully eliminated — a first official pronouncement of its demise after decades of violence.
• Once hailed as a revolutionary movement, Naxalism had mobilised tribals and urban poor under leaders like Charu Mazumdar, Kanu Sanyal, and Kondapalli Seetharamaiah.

Decline of the Naxalite Movement

• Despite its promise, the movement degenerated into violent excesses and gradually lost its ideological sheen.
• Once nationwide, it fragmented into regional factions, largely confined to forested belts of central India, especially Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh.
• Earlier false dawns of decline (in the 1970s and 1990s) never produced conclusive results, but today the downward trend appears more permanent.

Fading Revolutionary Zeal

• The Naxalite movement had once inspired India’s brightest youth, influenced by global icons like Mao, Ho Chi Minh, and Che Guevara.
• The slogan “China’s Chairman is our Chairman” resonated with many.
• However, the revolutionary fervour soon dissipated, leaving behind splintered groups and localised violence.
• The dream of a “Spring Thunder Over India” has gradually faded, signalling the end of an era of ideological militancy.
  • The term "Spring Thunder" is often used to describe the broader Naxalite-Maoist insurgency.

The Sustained Offensive Against Naxalism

• From 2024, under the Union Home Minister’s direction, security forces launched a coordinated offensive against Naxalite groups across multiple States.
• Estimates of Naxalites killed vary, but even the banned CPI (Maoist) acknowledged 357 deaths in a year, with more than a third from the women’s cadre.
• The Dandakaranya region — spanning Bastar (Chhattisgarh), Gadchiroli (Maharashtra), and parts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh — remained the epicentre of violence.
• Internal conflicts and leadership crises, particularly after the removal of Ganapathi in 2018, further weakened the movement.

Indian Strategy vs. U.S. ‘War on Terror’

• The Indian campaign against Naxalites cannot be equated with U.S. President Trump’s “war on terror.”
• The U.S. targeted ideology-agnostic jihadist groups operating abroad, often relying on brute force strikes in Somalia and Yemen.
• In contrast, Indian Naxalites lived among villagers and shared close social ties with local communities.
• India’s response involved more checks and balances, avoiding indiscriminate use of force except in extreme cases, given the domestic and socio-political context.

Guiding Principles of the Anti-Naxal Campaign

• Successive governments, both at the Centre and in States, have sought to prevent revolutionary groups — however democratic their claims — from disrupting the established order.
• While the original Naxalites were ideologically driven and envisioned a more egalitarian system, their failure to achieve goals soon gave way to widespread violence.
• Over time, Naxalite factions clung to a veneer of ideology but primarily resorted to indiscriminate attacks, losing much of their earlier legitimacy.

Misuse of the Term ‘Urban Naxals’

• The original Naxalite movement of the late 1960s, though misdirected, was rooted in a clear philosophy and structured ideology under the Marxist-Leninist banner.
• In contrast, today’s so-called “urban naxals” are a loosely connected group of intellectuals critical of government policies, bearing little resemblance to the original movement.
• Misclassifying them risks distorting history and creating flawed responses.
• Such confusion may lead to poorly framed policies, magnified risks, and unintended consequences.
• A more nuanced understanding, free from bias and cognitive blind spots, is essential to address challenges effectively without incurring hidden costs.

Conclusion

• India’s decline in Naxalism marks a historic turning point, reflecting effective strategy, nuanced policies, and the fading of ideological militancy amid global terrorism threats.