The Naxalite–Maoist insurgency in India seeks to overthrow the government and install a Maoist regime. It consists of around 20,000 armed militants and 40,000 militiamen drawn from poor laborers and villagers in rural areas. They claim to be fighting against exploitation by corporations and loss of land. Over 10,000 have died in clashes between insurgents and police. The insurgency operates across a swath of rural, impoverished eastern India known as the Red Corridor. The Indian government has declared the insurgents a terrorist organization and responded with military offensives, though some experts argue for addressing the economic roots of the conflict.

1. The Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
India’s Red Rebellion

2. Who?
The Indian Maoist Communist Party
is an outlawed organisation in India
who seek to bring down the state
and install a Maoist government. It
numbers at about 20,000 armed
militants although there are another
40,000 badly armed militiamen.
They are made up of poor labourers
and villagers and they believe their
fight is justified as they say they are
being exploited by mining
corporations and capitalism, and
that their land is being taken away
from them and they are being
sidelined in relation to monetary
interests.

3. They fight a guerrilla war in the
jungle and are often involved in
skirmishes with police. Over 10,000
people have died in these skirmishes,
including politicians, policemen,
businessmen, insurgents and
civilians. They have also attacked
buildings such as government
schools and have derailed trains.
What have they done?
They govern the areas they
control and have their own
education system and courts,
which have received
controversy. They enforce strict
Maoist laws, and execute people
for going against them.
Mao Zedong, famous dictator of China who
killed over 40 million people.

4. The fighting has taken place along a
place called the Red Corridor, which
is one of the poorest regions in
India.
It has gone on since 1967 but has
not achieved media attention
outside of India.
The Indian Prime Minister said that
the insurgency was the biggest
internal threat to India’s national
security.
Where?

5. India has responded by labelling the
insurgent movement as a Terrorist
organisation. They have often been
brutal in their way of dealing with
the insurgency, for example they
have armed civilian populations and
instructed them to fight back against
the Maoists.
In 2010, there was a large
Government offensive forcing the
rebels back into the jungle and
reclaiming a lot of territory.
India’s response

6. • I believe first of all, dialogue must be set up. Compromises must be made
between the government over issues such as unemployment and land
rights for the poor rural communities. This would lower tensions and
make the population more compliant as instead of criticizing fundamental
parts of India’s structure like radical religious groups, a lot of the problem
is economic.
• Secondly, I think that the Indian Government should educate rural
populations and help those neglected communities to prosper via
enterprise and investing in SME’s in these areas, as it has been
successful in deprived areas of Africa. The Indian Government must
continue having a holistic approach to dealing with the problem and not
just treat it as a law and order problem.
• Thirdly, I believe that there is a portion of the Maoist insurgency that
would not give up fighting, even if some of their demands were met due
for ideological reasons. A special counter-Maoist unit must be set up and
trained especially to fight them.
• Fourthly, the Maoists must cease destroying vital infrastructure which is
helping the rural areas to develop and enjoy the fruits of India’s growth.
• And finally, I believe that India must be vigilant in rooting out corruption
in it’s governance and provide a good service to the people of India,
instead of allowing it’s power to be abused.
5 Point Plan