Making it clear that the Maoists would not be allowed to have a free run, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said control over the naxal-infested areas would be regained in the next two to three years.

"I am confident that in a period of two to three years we will be able to gain total control over these (naxal-infested) areas," he said in an interactive session at the India Economic Summit here.

Chidambaram said since he took over as Home Minister, the states have got involved in tackling the naxal menace and "there is now co-ordinated action against the CPI(Maoists)".

The CPI(Maoists) believe in armed liberation struggle and want to expand their area of influence, he said adding that a democratic republican government cannot allow this. "We have to assert our authority," the Home Minister said.

Chidambaram said it was wrong to think that India was more vulnerable in the "crosshairs of many groups" and asserted "we have the capacity to thwart any attack should there be any attack".

He said the government has the capacity to contain naxal menace in a "swift and decisive manner".

Noting that states are now taking counter-insurgency measures against naxals, he said, "we have had significant successes and we have suffered some casualties too".

Chidambaram said the government had also offered to hold talks with the naxals provided they abjured violence.

He sought to assure the business community about the security situation in the country saying "We are no more vulnerable than any other country in the world.