New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday highlighted a major breakthrough in India’s fight against Maoist insurgency, announcing that 303 Maoists surrendered within the past 75 hours, including 170 in Chhattisgarh alone. Speaking at the World Summit 2025, Modi emphasized his government’s efforts to reclaim regions long terrorized by Naxal violence and bring wayward youth back into the mainstream.
“In the last 50-55 years, thousands were killed by Maoist terrorists,” the Prime Minister said, expressing deep personal anguish over the bloodshed and destruction caused by the insurgency. “These extremists would not allow schools or hospitals to function, block doctors, and bomb vital institutions. This was an injustice to the young generation.”
He described the mass surrenders as a turning point in India’s internal security landscape. Many of those laying down arms were senior operatives with bounties on their heads, carrying significant caches of weapons. “Today, the country is seeing the results of our sustained efforts,” Modi said, highlighting the drop in Naxal-affected districts from 125 a decade ago to just 11 now.
Bastar, historically one of the most violent Maoist strongholds, has witnessed a remarkable transformation. Over 150 Maoists, including Central Committee member Rupesh alias Satish Kofa, surrendered recently, pledging to shift their focus toward community development rather than armed struggle. Modi contrasted the past with the present: “Earlier, headlines spoke of vehicles blown up and security personnel killed. Today, youth are organizing local ‘Bastar Olympics’ and preparing to celebrate Diwali peacefully.”
PM Modi also criticized earlier governments, particularly the Congress, for allowing an “ecosystem of Urban Naxals” to suppress awareness of Maoist terror. He recalled victims of attacks who had visited Delhi, some of whom had lost limbs or eyesight, yet whose stories went largely unnoticed. “Discussion on this ecosystem was completely suppressed,” he said.
Modi emphasized that the government’s approach combined security measures with rehabilitation and reintegration programs, aiming to return young people to productive civilian life. “Now, these districts are seeing hope, education, and opportunity returning. Children and mothers will celebrate Diwali safely after decades of fear,” he said.
Ending his address on an emotional note, the Prime Minister projected a future of peace and normalcy in regions long dominated by Maoist violence. “That day is not far when India will be completely free from Naxalism, from Maoist terror. This too, this too is Modi’s Guarantee,” he said.
By combining tactical security operations with outreach and development, the Prime Minister presented a narrative of transformation: from conflict and fear toward hope, education, and community resilience, signaling a historic moment in India’s decades-long battle against internal extremism.