Naxalite–Maoist insurgency

The Naxalite–Maoist insurgency is an ongoing conflict between the Indian government and left-wing extremist groups. The Naxalites are a group of communist groups, who follow Maoist political sentiment and ideology, and claim to fight a rural rebellion and people's war against the government.

The insurgency started after the 1967 Naxalbari uprising and the subsequent split of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leading to the creation of a Marxist–Leninist faction. The faction later splintered into various smaller groups.

The armed wing of the Maoists is called the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army, mostly equipped with small arms. They have conducted multiple attacks on the security forces and government workers, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 4000 civilians and 2500 security force personnel since the 2000s.

The influence zone of the Naxalites is called the red corridor, which consists of about 38 districts, most of them in Central and East India. As of 2025, six districts– Bijapur Kanker, Narayanpur, and Sukma in Chhattisgarh, West Singhbhum in Jharkhand, and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra have been declared as "most affected" by Naxalism. Six districts–Alluri Sitarama Raju in Andhra Pradesh, Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Malkangiri in Odisha, and Bhadradri-Kothagudem in Telangana are declared as "districts of concern".

The insurgency reached its peak in the late 2010s with almost 180 affected districts and has been suppressed since then due to the counter-insurgency actions and development plans formulated by the Indian government. Naxalite organisations and groups have been declared as terrorist organisations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of India (1967).