New Delhi [India], October 21 : Observing that the number of districts affected by left-wing extremism (LWE) is very low in the country now, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday that areas that were once notorious as 'Red Corridors' are now transforming into 'growth corridors'.
Singh stated that areas that were once "Naxalite hubs," have now transformed into "education hubs" and now have roads, hospitals, schools, and colleges.
Speaking at the Police Commemoration Day programme at the National Police Memorial in national capital, Rajnath Singh noted the significant contribution and tireless efforts of police force and security personnel to this transformation.
"Areas that once trembled under the terror of Naxalites now boast roads, hospitals, schools, and colleges. The areas that were formerly Naxalite hubs, have now become education hubs. Areas of India that were notorious as Red Corridors are now transforming into growth corridors. Our police force and security personnel have contributed significantly to the transformation the government has achieved," Singh asserted.
The "Red Corridor" is an area affected by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), or Naxalite-Maoist insurgency.
Singh said that the Naxalites who once took up arms against the state are now aligning themselves with the agenda of development.
"The success of the campaign against Naxalites can be gauged by the fact that the same Naxalites who previously took up arms against the state are now surrendering and aligning themselves with the primary agenda of development. Thanks to the tireless efforts of security personnel, this problem is now becoming history," he added.
The Defence Minister exuded confidence that the left-wing extremism will be eradicated by next year. He lauded the collaborative work of police, CRPF, BSF, all paramilitary forces, and local administration in eradicating Naxalism.
Singh said, "When we talk about internal security, Naxalism has been a problem for our internal security for a long time. There was a time when several districts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh Telangana, Maharashtra was affected by Naxalism. There were no schools in the villages, lack of infrastructure. People live in fear, but we resolved not to let this problem escalate."
"The collaborative work of our police, CRPF, BSF, all paramilitary forces, and local administration is commendable. Our combined efforts over the past several years are now bearing fruit. The entire country is confident that this problem will be eradicated by next year. The number of districts affected by left-wing extremism is also very low, and they too will be eliminated by March next year," he added.
According to the data released by the Ministry of Home Affairs, India's decades-long battle against Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) has reached a decisive phase, with the number of affected districts dropping sharply from 182 in 2014 to just 11 in October 2025.
The MHA stated that by March 31, 2026, the infamous Red Corridor will be declared a thing of the past.
"By March 31, 2026, the infamous Red Corridor will be history. Under the Modi Government's watch, many villages, plagued with Naxalism for over five decades, are now witnessing unprecedented development and progress. Not violence, but development is now defining these districts," according to the MHA.
Naxalism emerged from the Naxalbari uprising in West Bengal in 1967, as a peasant movement inspired by Maoist ideology. Over the decades, it spread to several states, forming what was called the Red Corridor, covering parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Bihar.
The insurgency involved guerrilla warfare, attacks on security forces, destruction of infrastructure, and extortion from local communities. It posed a significant internal security challenge to India.