I am inclined to believe that the Venezuela adventure is not an indication of American strength, alas, but rather of American weakness, points out Rajeev Srinivasan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations. This marks the first conversation between the leaders since Nicolas Maduro's capture.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said India is concerned about the recent developments in Venezuela, marking the first strong public statement after the latest United States actions in the South American country.
Dramatic scenes unfolded in Caracas as tensions escalated between the US and Venezuela on January 3, 2026. Following President Donald Trump's announcement of strikes on Venezuela and the reported capture of President Nicolas Maduro, smoke rose near the Fort Tiuna military zone while residents evacuated and queued for fuel.
'The immediate impact for India will be very minimal as the share of Venezuela in our total overseas production is very low.'
Private-sector oil refiner Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) last week received a general licence from the United States (US) government to buy Venezuelan oil, an industry executive said.
President of the United States Donald Trump on Saturday confirmed that the US had carried out a large strike against Venezuela during which the incumbent President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were captured and taken out of the country.
The US government, under President Trump, justifies the intervention as a security necessity rather than a resource grab. The primary official reasons include: narco-terrorism charges, national security and migration crisis.
The Indian government has not yet responded to Trump's comments yet.
Years of repression and disappearances have taught Venezuelans, the hard way, not to voice either their anger or their joy, observes Radha Roy Biswas who spent her formative years in Venezuela.
Donald Trump posted a photo on Truth Social listing himself as 'Acting President of Venezuela,' along with his US presidential designations. This follows recent US actions against Venezuela and claims regarding control over Venezuelan oil revenue.
Russia and China on Saturday condemned the United States airstrikes on Venezuela and the capture of its president, Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
India has advised its nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to Venezuela following the capture of President Nicols Maduro by the US. The Ministry of External Affairs has also asked Indians in Venezuela to exercise extreme caution and restrict their movements.
US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he has cancelled a previously expected second wave of military attacks on Venezuela, following his military action in Caracas which led to the capture of the South American country's leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, citing improved cooperation from Caracas and the release of a large number of political prisoners as part of efforts to 'seek peace'.
India said it is closely monitoring the evolving situation in Venezuela and reaffirmed its support for the well-being of people of the country.
United States President Donald Trump on Saturday said the US would 'run' Venezuela until a safe transition of power is put in place, hours after American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and flew him out of the country in a dramatic military operation.
'Trump had done a deal with the current regime minus Maduro. The current regime is giving Trump entry into Venezuelan oil. They are obeying him and doing whatever he says.' 'They are happy because they have saved their heads by sacrificing only two, Maduro and his wife. Thousands of Venezuelan military leaders would have been jailed or killed in American action had Maduro stayed in power.'
Left parties on Saturday denounced the United States for attacking Venezuela and capturing its President Nicholas Maduro, with Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary M A Baby terming the nighttime military action an 'act of international terrorism by US-led imperialism'.
As Delcy Rodriguez took charge late on Sunday as Venezuela's acting president, United States President Donald Trump issued a sharp warning, saying she must give the US 'total access' or face consequences 'probably worse than Maduro'.
While Infosys never had a presence, Wipro's Venezuelan unit was liquidated many years ago.
The Congress party in India has expressed "grave concern" over the US action in Venezuela, stating that settled principles of international law cannot be violated unilaterally. India has also voiced "deep concern" and called for a peaceful resolution through dialogue.
According to a post on X by the US European Command, the tanker violated US sanctions and was tracked by the US Coast Guard cutter Munro prior to the operation.
Delcy Rodriguez has officially taken office as Venezuela's acting president, just hours after Nicolas Maduro was captured by the United States, the CNN reported.
In another post, Trump is seen hoisting a US flag in Greenland, with a milepost that reads, "Greenland US Territory Est 2026".
The Venezuelan government on Monday published a decree declaring a State of External Commotion, granting sweeping powers to the presidency and instructing security forces to detain 'any person involved in the promotion or support' of a United States attack against the South American country, CNN reported.
He added that current measures, including an oil quarantine and large naval deployments, are aimed at pressuring the Venezuelan regime.
Indian strategic affairs experts criticize the US strike on Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, warning of a 'bad precedent' and potential for similar actions by other powers.
The United States carried out a covert drone strike on a port facility along Venezuela's coastline earlier this month, in what is believed to be the first known American attack on a target inside Venezuelan territory, CNN reported.
Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez has shared images on social media of her attending emergency meetings with a large group of officials.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has voiced his opposition to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro by the US military, calling it an 'act of war' and a violation of international law. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi also criticized the action, citing lack of congressional authorization.
Greer said that India has taken down some digital services taxes and is moving tariffs down.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India's energy decisions are guided by national interest.
A bewildered world is at a loss to find bilateral and multilateral measures to stop President Trump from pursuing his vision of a world unabashedly dominated by the United States, points out T P Sreenivasan.
Former Indian envoys to Venezuela R Viswanathan and Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha said the action was anticipated and even 'unsurprising' in nature, claiming that the US has always worked against Maduro's regime.
China has made serious inroads into Latin America, which the US may now be hinting is simply not ok: Stay in your lane, Xi! In simple terms, China will no longer have access to Venezuelan oil, points out Rajeev Srinivasan.
Supporters of Venezuela's ousted President Nicolas Maduro took to the streets of Caracas on January 7, 2026, demanding his release following his capture by U.S. forces on January 3.
As Cuba announced that 32 of its citizens were killed during the United States military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, US President Donald Trump issued a warning, saying he believed the Cuban government was close to collapse.
Nicolás Maduro Guerra, Nicolas Maduro's son, attended the opening of Venezuela's 2026 national assembly in Caracas on Monday. The appearance came days after US special forces captured former president Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, leaving the country in a tense transition.
The UK has called for a safe and peaceful transition of power in Venezuela following a US operation that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterated support for international law and said the UK government will discuss the situation with US counterparts.
At least 40 people, including military personnel and civilians, were killed in the United States strike on Venezuela early Saturday, The New York Times reported, citing a senior Venezuelan official who spoke on condition of anonymity, amid claims by Cuba that 32 of its officers were also killed in the operation.
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