Luxembourg City: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday voiced India's apprehension regarding the escalating crisis in Venezuela, the first high-level public commentary from New Delhi since U.S. forces seized deposed leader Nicolás Maduro.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel, Jaishankar emphasised India's long-standing ties with the South American nation and urged a return to stability.

"Yes, we are concerned at developments in Venezuela," Jaishankar said. "We would urge all parties to sit down and come to the position of well-being and safety of the people of Venezuela, because at the end of the day, that is our concern, and we would want Venezuela, the country with whom, over many, many years, we had very good relations. So we would like the people to come out well."

The minister's remarks followed an official statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Sunday, which noted that India is "closely monitoring" the situation. The MEA reiterated its support for the safety of Venezuelan citizens and called for a "peaceful resolution through dialogue" to ensure regional stability.

The diplomatic caution comes as the U.S. continues to hold Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a Brooklyn detention centre following "Operation Absolute Resolve." Both pleaded not guilty on Monday to federal charges of narcoterrorism and weapons trafficking.

Former Indian Ambassador to Venezuela Y.K. Sinha characterised India's response as "very measured," noting that New Delhi is navigating a complex path between its principles of sovereignty and its strategic bilateral relationship with the United States. While China and Russia have condemned the U.S. strikes, most other nations have responded with similar restraint.

Security Advisory for Indian Nationals

The MEA issued an urgent travel advisory on Saturday, strongly advising Indian citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Venezuela.

  • Guidelines for Residents: Indians currently in the country are urged to restrict their movements and maintain contact with the Embassy in Caracas.
  • Emergency Contact: The Embassy has activated a 24-hour hotline (+58-412-9584288) and email (cons.caracas@mea.gov.in) for assistance.

Embassy officials confirmed they are in regular contact with the Indian community, which comprises roughly 50 non-resident Indians and 30 persons of Indian origin, largely concentrated in the oil and retail sectors.

With inputs from ANI