India’s campaign against Left Wing Extremism (LWE) has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade, with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) emerging as the principal Central Armed Police Force spearheading sustained operations against Maoist formations across some of the country’s most difficult terrains.
According to an assessment of the CRPF’s counter-LWE operations, coordinated action involving the CRPF, State Police Forces, intelligence agencies and the Ministry of Home Affairs has considerably reduced the geographical spread and operational capability of the CPI (Maoist).
Maoist activity, which once extended across large areas of central and eastern India, is now concentrated in comparatively fewer districts, particularly in difficult forested terrain. Sustained security operations, better intelligence integration, infrastructure development and closer Centre-State coordination have contributed to the contraction.
The CRPF’s role has also evolved beyond conventional offensive operations. Its responsibilities now include area domination, route security, protection of infrastructure and development projects, establishment of Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), and support to State Police Forces and civil administration.
At the heart of this approach is a shift from reactive operations towards sustained security presence. Intelligence collection is followed by coordinated operational planning, targeted action, consolidation and continuous deployment to prevent Maoist formations from returning to areas cleared by security forces. Speaking exclusively to TDG, CRPF DG G P Singh stated, “As the entire leadership, including the politburo and Central committee, has been rendered inactive due to arrests, surrenders & security forces’ operations, the emphasis has shifted from intense operations to operations for recovering dumped weapons, ammunition and explosives. Efforts are also on to demolish Naxal memorials to ensure that no remnants of the Naxalism remain.
Security forces are also collaborating with administration to ensure that development, in all its aspects reaches the erstwhile affected Naxal areas. Security forces would be the caregivers to the local community in the days and years to come.”
The CRPF’s elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) has played a particularly significant role in this campaign. Specially trained in jungle navigation, survival, reconnaissance, counter-guerrilla tactics, IED awareness and small-team operations, CoBRA units have been deployed in some of India’s toughest counter-insurgency theatres.
Official cumulative figures cited in the assessment show that up to June 30, 2026, CoBRA had conducted 40,231 operations, neutralised 641 Maoists and apprehended 3,995. Another 3,420 Maoists surrendered, while 1,928 weapons, 69,228 rounds of ammunition, 9,689 IEDs, bombs and grenades, and 84,596 detonators were recovered.
The period under CRPF Director General G.P. Singh coincided with what the assessment describes as a decisive phase of the counter-LWE campaign. Operational priorities during this period included intelligence-led planning, stronger coordination with State Police Forces, improved mobility, expansion of permanent security infrastructure and sustained pressure on remaining Maoist strongholds.
The evolving strategy reflects a broader objective: not merely conducting successful operations, but permanently denying operational space to Maoist formations while creating conditions for governance and development to reach previously inaccessible areas.
