ABSTRACT
Since 2005, the Maoist or Naxalite 1 insurgency has consistently been cited by the prime minister of India as the gravest internal security challenge facing the country. 2 More than 200 of the country's 640 districts of India are currently said to be affected by Maoist insurgency, with varying conflict inten-sity. 3 Consistent with the rapid spread and growing strength of such insurgency, there has been a significant rise in violent attacks, including some causing massive casualties among security forces. There has also been an increasing subversion of governance institutions, ranging from disruption of development activities to the running of parallel governments, undermining the sovereign authority of the Indian state.
