By Rajnish Singh
New Delhi [India], December 23 (ANI): As part of its strategy to establish dominance over Naxalism, with the Centre setting March 2026 as the deadline to eliminate the menace, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), one of the principal forces tasked with countering Left Wing Extremism, has set up a total of 229 Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) across six key Naxal-affected states from 2019 to till date.
The FOBs have been a key component of the government’s security strategy to counter Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in Naxal-affected regions. These bases are established by central armed police forces, including the CRPF and its specialised units, in remote, forested and insurgency-prone areas that were earlier considered strongholds of Naxal groups.
Out of the total 229 Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), the highest number 59, have been established so far this year, followed by 40 in 2024, 27 in 2023, 48 in 2022, 29 in 2021, 18 in 2020 and eight in 2019.
These FOBs have been established across Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Telangana.
Of the 59 FOBs established this year, Chhattisgarh accounts for the maximum with 32 bases, followed by Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh with nine each, Maharashtra and Odisha with four each, and one in Telangana.
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha in the recently concluded Winter Session of the Parliament, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed that a total of 377 FOBs have been established from 2019 to till date by all the Central Armed Police Forces deployed in naxal affected states — 74 in 2025, 71 in 2024, 51 in 2023, 66 in 2022, 51 in 2021, 40 in 2020, and 24 in 2019.
The primary objective of FOBs is to extend the reach of the state into interior areas, deny safe havens to Naxal cadres, and enable sustained area domination. Unlike temporary camps, FOBs are semi-permanent or permanent structures equipped with accommodation, communication systems, medical facilities and logistical support, allowing security forces to remain deployed for longer durations.
FOBs have significantly reduced the distance between security forces and conflict zones, improving response time and intelligence gathering. Their presence has enabled more frequent and deeper patrols, better coordination with local police, and enhanced protection of development activities such as road construction, mobile connectivity projects, and welfare scheme implementation.
Over the years, the expansion of FOBs, particularly in parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra and Telangana and Madhya Pradesh, has been credited with shrinking Naxal influence, restoring administrative control and creating a more secure environment for governance and development initiatives in previously inaccessible areas.
FOBs play a vital role in countering Naxal influence, as security forces deploy company-sized units of over 100 personnel to reassure local populations while enabling deeper access into dense forest areas, thereby pushing back insurgent activities. These bases are typically established at intervals of around five kilometres, ensuring quick mutual support during emergencies in anti-Naxal operations. Their presence also creates operational isolation for Naxal groups, with cadres generally avoiding activity within a five-kilometre radius of such installations.
The Central government has been supplementing the efforts of states affected by LWE. To address the LWE menace holistically, a “National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE” was approved in 2015. It envisages a multi-pronged strategy that includes security-related measures, development interventions, and the protection of the rights and entitlements of local communities.
The resolute implementation of the National Policy and Action Plan 2015 has resulted in a consistent decline in violence and contraction of geographical spread. LWE, which has been a serious challenge to the internal security of the nation, has been significantly curbed in recent times and has been constricted to only a few pockets.
According to MHA data, the number of Naxal-affected districts declined from 126 in April 2018 to 90 in April 2018, 70 in July 2021, 38 in April 2024, 18 in April 2025, and to 11 in October 2025, with only three districts now categorised as most LWE-affected. However, to restrict Naxals from bouncing back in the areas recently taken away from LWE influence, 27 districts have been kept as ‘legacy and thrust districts’ under the scope of the Security Related Expenditure scheme.
The LWE-related violence incidents have come down from a high of 1936 in 2010 by 89 per cent to 218 in 2025. Resultant deaths of civilians and security forces have also come down from a high of 1005 in 2010 by 91 per cent to 93 in 2025. In 2025 (till Dec 1), security forces have neutralised 335 LWEs, arrested 942 and facilitated 2,167 surrenders. (ANI)
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