Indian commandos killed on Wednesday the Maoist insurgent chief, the country's home minister said, in what could be a decisive blow to the decades-long conflict.

Amit Shah said troops had killed 27 rebels in central India, including the "topmost leader" of the Naxalite rebellion, named after the village in the foothills of the Himalayas where the Maoist-inspired movement began nearly six decades ago.

"Today, in an operation in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh, our security forces have neutralised 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of CPI-Maoist, topmost leader, and the backbone of the Naxal movement," Shah said in a statement.

India says continues its offensive against the last strongholds of the Naxalite rebellion — a far-left, Maoist-inspired insurgency that began in 1967.

Once a major base for multiple Naxalite factions, the Karreguttalu Hills served as a hub for weapons distribution and strategic training.

The Naxalites claim their struggle is aimed at defending the rights of tribal communities in the region.

At their height in the mid-2000s, the group is believed to have commanded up to 20,000 fighters and held sway over nearly a third of the country.

TRT Global - India kills number of Maoist rebels during firefight

Indian security forces in Chhattisgarh engaged in a gunfight with a Maoist group in Sukma, killing at least 16 rebels.

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‘Eradicating Naxalism from its roots’

The firefight broke out deep inside a forest in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district, a remote and densely wooded region that has long served as a Maoist stronghold.

Sinha said the gun battle took place after intelligence reports indicated the presence of "top Maoist leaders" in the area.

But Sinha said it was not clear who exactly had been killed. "The bodies have not yet been identified," Sinha said.

Earlier this month, police said they had killed 31 Maoist rebels during a three-week operation aimed at capturing a strategic hill range previously under the control of the group.

A crackdown by Indian troops has killed more than 400 rebels since last year, according to government data.