NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday said that incidents linked to Left Wing Extremism (LWE) have witnessed a sharp decline over the past decade, marking a significant improvement in India’s internal security situation.
According to official data presented by the MHA in Parliament, LWE-related violent incidents have dropped by nearly 80 percent, from 1,936 such cases recorded in 2010 to just 234 in 2025.
Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, in response to a question in the Lok Sabha, also mentioned a steep reduction in fatalities associated with LWE violence, as deaths of civilians and security personnel have fallen by around 90 percent, from 1,005 deaths in 2010 to 100 last year. He went on to add that in 2025 alone, security forces achieved notable operational outcomes, with 2,337 Naxals surrendering, 364 being killed and 1,022 arrested.
The minster further said that the firm and consistent implementation of the National Policy and Action Plan 2015 has played a central role in curbing LWE and noted that what was once a serious threat to the country’s internal security has now been largely contained, with violence steadily declining and the geographical footprint of extremism shrinking considerably, now restricted to only a handful of pockets.
Rai said that the number of LWE-affected districts has reduced dramatically, from 126 districts in 2018 to just eight as of December 2025. “Of these, only three districts continue to be classified as “most-affected.” Six of the eight affected districts are located in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur, Dantewada, Gariyaband, Kanker, Narayanpur and Sukma, while the remaining two districts are West Singhbhum in Jharkhand and Kandhamal in Odisha.
He also highlighted a significant decline in the number of police stations reporting LWE-related violence, which has fallen from 465 in 2010 to 119 in 2025 and asserted that the Centre aimed not only to eliminate LWE entirely by this March, but also ensure comprehensive development in areas that have been freed from extremism.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set March 31, 2026, as the deadline to completely eliminate LWE from the country.
Answering another query, Rai informed the House that a new category of districts, which are termed “legacy and thrust” districts, had been introduced in 2024. These districts are no longer affected by LWE but will continue to receive central support to consolidate security gains and prevent any resurgence, he noted. Rai added that at present, 30 districts fall under this category, with measures focused on long-term stability and inclusive growth.
Between 2019 and 2025, central armed police forces, working alongside state police, established 320 security camps in LWE-affected states, including 68 night-landing helipads. Additionally, the number of fortified police stations has increased substantially from 66 in 2014 to 620 at present.