The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi while addressing the gathering at NDTV World Summit 2025, he initiated with extending Diwali greetings to all citizens.
Speaking on the theme of an “Unstoppable India,” the Prime Minister said that the idea reflects a natural and timely sentiment in today’s world, where nations face numerous roadblocks. He compared the current national mood with that of the pre-2014 era, recalling discussions centered on policy paralysis, corruption scandals, women’s safety, inflation, and terrorist sleeper cells. Modi said that at that time, the world doubted whether India could overcome its challenges.
Speaking at the #NDTVWorldSummit2025.@ndtv https://t.co/iQThIyApuD
Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 17, 2025
PM Modi On Maoist Terrorism:
For the first time, Prime Minister Modi spoke in detail about Maoist terrorism and Naxalism, calling it one of India’s most serious internal security challenges. He said that the issue is not just about violence but about the future of India’s youth.
He stated that during opposition rule, the ecosystem of Urban Naxals had become so dominant that the rest of the country remained unaware of the extent of Maoist terrorism. While terrorism and Article 370 were widely debated, Shri Modi said that Urban Naxals occupied key institutions and actively worked to suppress discourse on Maoist violence.
He noted that even recently, several victims of Maoist terrorism came to Delhi, yet the opposition ecosystem ensured that their plight received little attention.
Prime Minister described the grave situation that once prevailed across nearly every major state in India, where Naxalite and Maoist violence had taken deep root.
He stated that while the Constitution was in force across the country, in the Red Corridor, there was no one to even invoke its name. Governments were elected, but in those regions, they held no real authority. The Prime Minister recounted how, after dusk, stepping outside became perilous, and even those responsible for providing security to the public had to move under protection themselves.
Highlighting the devastating impact of Maoist terrorism over the past 50–55 years, stating that thousands of lives were lost, including many security personnel and young citizens, Shri Modi emphasized that Naxalites obstructed the construction of schools and hospitals, and even bombed existing facilities. As a result, a vast region of the country and a large segment of the population remained deprived of development for decades. Shri Modi underscored that this prolonged neglect disproportionately affected tribal communities and Dalit brothers and sisters, who bore the brunt of this violence and underdevelopment.
“Maoist terrorism is a great injustice and a grave sin against the nation’s youth”, remarked the Prime Minister, affirming that he could not allow young citizens to remain trapped in such circumstances. Therefore, since 2014, his government has worked with full sensitivity to reintegrate misguided youth into the mainstream. The Prime Minister highlighted the results of these efforts: while 11 years ago, over 125 districts were affected by Maoist violence, today that number has reduced to just 11 districts. Of these, only three remain highly Naxal-affected.
Government Efforts Agaisnt Maoist Terrorism
Shri Modi stated that over the past decade, thousands of Naxalites have surrendered, sharing a recent statistic from the last 75 hours, during which 303 Naxalites laid down arms and surrendered. He added that these were not ordinary insurgents some carried bounties of Rs 1 crore, Rs 15 lakh, or Rs 5 lakh and a large cache of weapons was also recovered from them. The Prime Minister affirmed that these individuals are now returning to the mainstream of development and openly acknowledging that they were on the wrong path. He emphasized that they now move forward with faith in the Constitution of India.
Reflecting on how headlines once routinely reported incidents from Bastar, Chhattisgarh then known as a stronghold of Naxalism, the Prime Minister highlighted the transformation, noting that today, tribal youth in Bastar are organizing the Bastar Olympics, a symbol of peace and progress. He stated that this Diwali, regions freed from Maoist terrorism will celebrate with renewed joy, lighting lamps of happiness. Shri Modi assured the people of India that the day is not far when India will be completely free from Naxalism and Maoist violence, adding that it’s a guarantee of their government.
(Inputs taken from PMO Press Release)
Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
