Context: Operation Kagar, a large-scale counterinsurgency campaign, has encircled the last remaining Naxal strongholds in Chhattisgarh-Telangana border regions.
About Operation Kagar:
- What it is?
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- Operation Kagar is an anti-Naxal military campaign launched in January 2024 by the Union Government.
- It integrates security action, surveillance technology, and development outreach to dismantle Left-Wing Extremism (LWE).
- Core zones: Bastar (Chhattisgarh), Gadchiroli (Maharashtra), West Singhbhum (Jharkhand).
- Scale & Strategy:
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- Involves 1 lakh+ personnel from CRPF, CoBRA, DRG, STF, and state police.
- Advanced surveillance tools like drones, AI, and satellite imagery are being used.
- Significance:
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- Reduced Naxal-affected districts from 106 (in 2015) to just 6 in 2025.
- Aims to restore state control, enable development, and protect tribal communities from Maoist exploitation.
- Over 287 Naxals neutralized in 2024 and 150+ in 2025 already.
Relevance in UPSC Exam Syllabus
- GS Paper 3 – Internal Security
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- Left Wing Extremism: Origin, spread, and current scenario.
- Security Challenges: Role of paramilitary forces and inter-state coordination.
- Technology in Internal Security: Use of drones, AI, and NTRO in surveillance.
- GS Paper 2 – Governance & Welfare
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- Tribal Rights: Protection of Adivasi interests and inclusion in development.
- Conflict Resolution Mechanisms: Ceasefire, dialogue vs. security enforcement models.
