Key Facts
- Operation start date
- 21 April 2025
- Announced conclusion
- 14 May 2025
- Maoists killed (claimed)
- 31, including top commanders
- Confirmed deaths
- 4
- Also known as
- Operation Kagaar
Strategic Narrative Overview
Operation Black Forest launched on 21 April 2025, deploying Indian security forces into the dense forest terrain straddling Chhattisgarh and Telangana. The offensive targeted senior Maoist commanders and their networks. Indian authorities claimed 31 insurgents killed, though only four deaths were independently confirmed. Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah declared the operation a major success on 14 May 2025.
01 / The Origins
The Naxalite-Maoist insurgency in central India has persisted for decades, rooted in agrarian grievances and the marginalization of Adivasi communities. By 2025, Indian security forces intensified efforts to eliminate the remaining Maoist organizational structures in the forested border zones between Chhattisgarh and Telangana, where insurgents had long maintained supply lines, bases, and influence among local tribal populations.
03 / The Outcome
Following the offensive, Maoist forces adapted by shifting toward remote attacks and improvised explosive devices, indicating organizational stress but continued operational capacity. Shah declared India would soon be 'Naxal-free,' signaling continued state intent to eradicate the insurgency. Maoists retained significant support among Adivasi communities, suggesting the underlying social conditions driving recruitment remained unresolved.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Amit Shah (Minister of Home Affairs).
Side B
1 belligerent