Countdown begins to eliminate "last of the Maoists"; 365-day official deadline sets in

The Centre appears to be on track to meet Amit Shah's target to eradicate Maoist insurgency by March 2026, with only 400 armed cadres remaining in Bastar. Police camp initiatives, infrastructure improvements, and successful operations have weakened Maoist ranks, though security experts caution that challenges persist, and a lasting peace may not be guaranteed.