Left-wing extremism (LWE) in India refers to political ideologies and groups that advocate for significant societal and political change through revolutionary means. The LWE movement in India originated in a 1967 uprising in Naxalbari, West Bengal, and has since spread across nearly one-third of Indias territory. The primary LWE outfit in India is the Communist Party of India (Maoist), which aims to overthrow the existing democratic state structure with violence.

LWE groups may target government institutions, law enforcement agencies, or private property to further their agenda. They often advocate for Adivasi rights and resist perceived exploitation of their resources and displacement from their ancestral lands. Socio-economic disparities in India, such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to basic resources, have contributed to the growth of LWE.

The Indian government has launched a coordinated and massive counterinsurgency operation to stem the growing insurgency. While the LWE insurgency has been considerably contained and reduced to a handful of districts, it still poses a significant threat to the Indian state and its legitimacy.

In summary, left-wing extremism in India is a significant security challenge that aims to bring about significant societal and political change through revolutionary means. It originated in a 1967 uprising in Naxalbari, West Bengal, and has since spread across nearly one-third of Indias territory. The primary LWE outfit in India is the Communist Party of India (Maoist), which aims to overthrow the existing democratic state structure with violence. The Indian government has launched a coordinated and massive counterinsurgency operation to stem the growing insurgency.