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MANTRAYA OCCASIONAL PAPER #08: 07 JULY 2022 Nepal: The Political Labyrinth Thomas A. Marks, Ph.D.   Abstract In Nepal, recent political debate has focused intensely upon acceptance of U.S. aid. On 20 June 2022, the Nepali Cabinet appeared to bow to demands that it repel the ostensible American military invasion represented by the State Partnership Programme […]

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MANTRAYA POLICY BRIEF#36: 28 MARCH 2021 Left-Wing Extremism in India: Worrying Trends from Chhattisgarh Bibhu Prasad Routray Abstract While extremist attacks claiming lives of security forces in left-wing extremism (LWE) affected states of India aren’t a new and unexpected phenomenon, each such attack underlines the potency of the extremists and provides a setback to the […]

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MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#41: 27 JANUARY 2020 India: Left-wing Extremism in 2019: State of Play Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract In 2019, the Government of India and state governments affected by Left-wing Extremism (LWE) continued to take steps to deal with what used to be the country’s ‘biggest internal security challenge’. Today, in terms of its capacities […]

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MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#40: 25 SEPTEMBER 2019 In the Naxal heartland: A ‘turnaround’ in sight? Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract Since 2018 (till August 2019), over 350 cadres of the Communist Party of India (CPI-Maoist) have been killed in various states of India. Rapid cadre depletion and continuous security force operations have dented the group’s ability to […]

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MANTRAYA POLICY BRIEF#29: 23 JULY 2019 Left-wing Extremism in India: Revisiting the ‘new’ Strategy Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in New Delhi, in its second term, is making renewed attempts to end left-wing extremism (LWE). The broad parameters of the new strategy consist of plans to target the extremists […]

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MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#30: 21 NOVEMBER 2018 Women Cadres of India’s Left-wing Extremist Movement  Rhea Maheshwari – Abstract India’s Maoist extremism draws its women cadres from the impoverished tribal population. Although the state highlights the employment of coercion as a tactic for recruitment, Maoists use variety of instruments to fill in the ranks of fighters, support staff, and […]

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MANTRAYA SPECIAL REPORT#12: 30 JULY 2018 Women Cadres of the CPI-Maoist – Rhea Maheshwari  – Abstract While official assessments point at the forced recruitment of women by the extremists and their exploitation within the organization, the left-wing extremists of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) underline the important role played by women in their operations and […]

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MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#26: 12 JUNE 2018 Bastariya Battalion: New force against India’s Left-wing Extremists   Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract Bastariya Battalion, a new battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is being inducted into the Left-wing extremism- afflicted Bastar region of Chhattisgarh state. Comprising of tribal recruits, the battalion is expected to add to capacities […]

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MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#20: 17 JANUARY 2018 State of Play: Left-wing Extremism in India in 2017       – Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract Another year went by. The problem of Left-wing Extremism (LWE) in India, however, continues to persist. In 2017, the left-wing extremists, belonging predominantly to the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) carried out more […]

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MANTRAYA SPECIAL REPORT#10: 22 MAY 2017 Intelligence and Counter-intelligence in India’s Maoist theatres  – Bibhu Prasad Routray – Abstract A single big extremist attack can reverse the narrative of optimism regarding India winning the war on left-wing extremism (LWE). Such an attack can lead to a barrage of charges and counter charges on the range […]

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