SAMADHAN Doctrine 2017 – India’s Counter-Insurgency Strategy Against LWE

Which counter-insurgency operational doctrine, launched in 2017, served as the strategic blueprint for India's security forces in eliminating Left Wing Extremism, recently declared successful in April 2026?

Correct Answer: SAMADHAN Doctrine

The SAMADHAN Doctrine, launched in 2017, is the operational blueprint used by India's security forces to combat Left Wing Extremism. Its success was highlighted in April 2026 when India was declared 'Naxal-free' by the Union Home Minister.

What SAMADHAN Stands For

• S – Smart Leadership
• A – Aggressive Strategy
• M – Motivation and Training
• A – Actionable Intelligence
• D – Dashboard-based KPIs and KRAs
• H – Harnessing Technology
• A – Action plan for each theatre
• N – No access to Financing

Key Specialized Units Under SAMADHAN

• CoBRA (CRPF): Specialized jungle warfare unit of the CRPF.
• Greyhounds: Elite commando force of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
• District Reserve Guard (DRG): Local tribal recruits with terrain knowledge.
• Bastariya Battalion: Local recruits from Chhattisgarh trained in intelligence generation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

• Operation Green Hunt — A security operation launched in 2009; not a comprehensive doctrine.
• National Policy and Action Plan 2015 — The policy framework, not the operational doctrine for security forces.
• Bandyopadhyay Committee Report (2006) — An advisory report highlighting tribal grievances; recommended land acquisition reforms, not a security doctrine.

The NIA and Enforcement Directorate (ED) also play key roles under SAMADHAN in choking Maoist terror financing networks.