India on Sunday reacted belatedly and cautiously to the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from his home in Caracas, calling for issues to be addressed peacefully through dialogue for peace and stability in the region.
New Delhi’s response — which came well over 24 hours after the US stealth operation — was similar to the position India had taken, steering clear of picking a side, when Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022.
The terse five-sentence statement did not name the US or mention Maduro’s detention. Nor did it refer to the need to respect national sovereignty or uphold the rule of law — themes that are a staple of documents that come out of the Quad, which has both India and the US as its members.
“Recent developments in Venezuela are a matter of deep concern. We are closely monitoring the evolving situation. India reaffirms its support to the well-being and safety of the people of Venezuela,” the external affairs ministry statement said.
“We call upon all concerned to address issues peacefully through dialogue, ensuring peace and stability of the region. The embassy of India in Caracas is in contact with members of the Indian community and will continue to provide all possible assistance.”
India had maintained a studied silence through Saturday on the US special forces’ operation in Caracas, which attracted sharp reactions from several capitals.
Late on Saturday night, India broke its silence only to issue a travel advisory asking citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Venezuela. Indians in Venezuela were
advised to exercise extreme caution, restrict their movements, and remain in contact with the Indian embassy in Caracas.
The government’s response drew criticism from segments of the Opposition. The Congress did not comment directly on the government’s response but showed its disappointment by reaffirming settled principles of international law.
“The INC expresses very grave concern on US actions relating to Venezuela in the past 24 hours. Settled principles of international law cannot be violated unilaterally,” Congress media-in-charge Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.
Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad posted: “This man’s (Modi’s) bhakts once claimed that he is so powerful that he stopped the Russia-Ukraine War. Today, he has not been able to speak a word on US-Venezuela event and has chosen to stay silent.”
He added: “India’s global position has weakened so much under him that today India is not even able to have an opinion when a sovereign nation is invaded and colonised by the US. What a fall.”
John Brittas of the CPM expressed disappointment at India’s “passive and disappointing response” to America’s “blatant aggression against sovereign Venezuela”.
He said “the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and Trump’s declaration that the US will ‘run’ the country” marked “yet another selective silence that undermines India’s commitment to sovereignty, non-interference, and international law”.
Apart from being a balancing act reflecting a refusal to criticise either Russia or the US, New Delhi’s response to the Venezuela situation is also being seen in the context of the current state of bilateral relations with Washington.
US President Donald Trump has already slapped India with high and penal tariffs for buying Russian oil, and open criticism of his Venezuela policy – his current showpiece – is likely to further strain the relationship.
Happymon Jacob, who teaches foreign policy at Shiv Nadar University, said: “After the US failed to provide significant help during the Sindoor crisis, India recognises exactly how transactional Washington can be.
“If we condemn the Americans now, we guarantee they might side with our adversaries in the next eventual crisis. It’s a matter of cold, hard survival.
“Today’s India doesn’t believe that ‘global norms’ or ‘morals’ run the world — power does…. Ultimately, neither Ukraine nor Venezuela holds primary strategic interest for India, unlike its immediate neighbourhood.
“Therefore, condemning the US illegal actions could be more costly than the potential benefits of doing so.”