Maoists Offer "Temporary Suspension Of Armed Struggle", Call For Talks With Centre

On Tuesday, Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, met Ms Karki at her office in Singha Durbar, the official Secretariat in Kathmandu. 

The banned CPI Maoists, operating from shadows for decades, depleting the country of its life blood, are apparently suing for peace - cornered after sustained crackdown by security forces. A month-old press note that recently surfaced has offered a unilateral and "temporary suspension of armed struggle", saying they are ready for peace talks with the Central government.

The note, dated August 15, 2025, accessed by NDTV, was issued by Maoist central spokesperson Abhay. It declares that they are ready to suspend violence for a month, during which peace talks can be initiated with a government-appointed committee. 

The note said the jailed Maoist leaders be allowed to take part in the talks and warned that police pressure and continued encounters in this period would undermine the dialogue process. An email ID has been shared asking the Centre to respond.

The group has also demanded the release of political prisoners, safe passage for cadres, and assurances that talks will be meaningful. They have sought a month to coordinate with their jailed and underground members.

Timing Of The Note

The note comes as security forces made massive headway over the last months in stamping out Maoism, in line with the promise of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. 

This year saw some of the deadliest blows to Maoists in decades. 

In February, security forces killed 31 Maoists in Indravati National Park in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur. 

The big push in Chhattisgarh's Abujhmad, one of the oldest strongholds of Maoists, came in May. Security forces neutralized 28 Maoists -- including top leader Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju -crippling the insurgency's leadership. 

On Monday, in a fierce encounter in Jharkhand, the elite CRPF CoBRA commandos killed Central Committee member Sahdev Soren, who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore. 

In Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, CRPF and Maharshtra Police Commandos have neutralized several long-standing PLGA guerrillas, breaking one of the Maoists' oldest formations.

Government sources have welcomed the ceasefire as a "positive step" and may use rights groups and civil society intermediaries to open talks. But New Delhi has made it clear: the goal remains to end Left-Wing Extremism by March 2026.

What Officials Say

Senior government officials from Chhattisgarh, however, have cautioned that the authenticity of the letter is still under verification. "If confirmed, it would mark a major change in their stance," a source said.

There is also concern that the proposed ceasefire, if genuine, could be a ploy of the Maoists to regroup and grow.

Maoism - End In Sight?

The Maoist insurgency started with the 1967 uprising in Bengal's Naxalbari and grew into India's longest internal security challenge. For decades, it spread - stretching from Andhra Pradesh to Nepal - creating the dreaded Naxal corridor. The states on its route -- Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha - became Maoist strongholds, with support from marginalized tribal and rural communities.

If talks with the government succeed, conflict-hit tribal belts could finally see permanent roads, schools, hospitals, and development instead of landmines and ambushes.

For Adivasi communities, this ceasefire could open the door to long-denied land rights, forest rights, and compensation. But trust remains fragile, with both sides scarred by decades of violence.