As part of its plan to curb Naxalism, with a March 2026 deadline set by the Centre, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has established 229 Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) across six major Naxal-affected states since 2019. These FOBs, created by central armed police forces including the CRPF and its specialized units, are strategically located in remote, forested, and insurgency-prone areas previously controlled by Naxal groups.

Among the 229 FOBs, the highest number—59—was set up this year, followed by 40 in 2024, 27 in 2023, 48 in 2022, 29 in 2021, 18 in 2020, and eight in 2019. They are spread across Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Telangana, with Chhattisgarh hosting the most this year at 32.

In a recent Rajya Sabha reply, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai reported that all Central Armed Police Forces have established a total of 377 FOBs in Naxal-affected states since 2019. These bases aim to extend state presence into interior areas, deny safe havens to Naxals, and maintain sustained area control. Unlike temporary camps, FOBs are semi-permanent or permanent, equipped with accommodation, communication, medical facilities, and logistical support, allowing long-term deployment.

FOBs have improved response times, intelligence gathering, coordination with local police, and protection of development activities like road construction, mobile connectivity, and welfare programs. Their strategic placement, usually five kilometers apart, enables operational support and isolates Naxal cadres, pushing them away from these zones.

The government complements these efforts with the 2015 "National Policy and Action Plan to Address LWE," combining security measures, development programs, and protection of local rights. These initiatives have significantly reduced Naxal influence. Naxal-affected districts fell from 126 in April 2018 to 11 in October 2025, with only three classified as most affected. LWE-related violence has decreased 89% from 1,936 incidents in 2010 to 218 in 2025, while deaths of civilians and security personnel dropped 91% from 1,005 in 2010 to 93 in 2025. In 2025 alone, security forces neutralized 335 Naxals, arrested 942, and facilitated 2,167 surrenders.