Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday, 17 May credited Union Home Minister Amit Shah with spearheading India's drive toward becoming “Naxal-free,” saying the government’s success in Left-wing extremism-affected regions stemmed from meticulous planning, structured execution, and sustained development. Goyal made the remarks at the inauguration of the Innovation and Incubation Centre at the National Institute of Design (NID) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Goyal’s Tribute to Amit Shah

Describing Amit Shah as “a very powerful leader and statesman,” Goyal said the Home Minister had “recently achieved the remarkable feat of making India free from Naxalism.” He framed Shah’s governance approach as an embodiment of “design in thinking” — the same principle celebrated at the NID event — applied to security and public administration.

“Whether it is election campaigns, government schemes or ending Naxalism, if we work with thoughtful design, then the country can progress rapidly,” Goyal said. He called both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah role models in governance, citing their “meticulous planning, detailing, seriousness and depth in every aspect and executing programmes in a structured way.”

Gadchiroli as a Symbol of Transformation

Goyal pointed specifically to Gadchiroli in Maharashtra — long regarded as one of the most Naxal-affected districts in the country — as a showcase of the turnaround. “Today, Gadchiroli is witnessing business worth lakhs of crores, steel factories and mining, and people are earning livelihoods,” he said.

The minister noted that districts once considered inaccessible were now seeing rapid economic and infrastructure changes. “The whole world is watching how Amit Shah transformed districts once affected by severe Naxalism, where there was no development or infrastructure,” Goyal added. This comes amid a broader government push that has, according to official claims, significantly reduced Naxal violence in the so-called ‘Red Corridor’ over the past decade.

Innovation, Incubation and India’s Economic Agenda

Goyal linked the anti-Naxal strategy to a wider national vision of development-led governance, arguing that the same design-thinking framework should drive India’s innovation ecosystem. He said incubation centres like the one at NID Gandhinagar would help young innovators convert ideas into commercially viable products.

“The real test of innovation is not whether it is advanced technology, but whether it improves people’s lives, gives industries and businesses greater convenience, creates jobs, strengthens the economy and improves productivity and efficiency,” he said.

The minister also called for expanding incubation infrastructure beyond metropolitan cities to Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns, where rising digital access and mentoring opportunities are enabling young entrepreneurs to build startups with global reach.

Broader Context

India was now focusing on “resilient supply chains, sustainability, clean energy and technology-driven manufacturing,” Goyal said, framing these as the next frontier after the security gains in formerly Naxal-hit regions. Notably, the Centre has repeatedly flagged declining Naxal incidents in recent years, though independent assessments of the situation on the ground have at times varied from official tallies. The inauguration of the NID incubation centre provided the government an opportunity to connect its security narrative with its economic and innovation agenda ahead of upcoming state elections.