Global reactions continue to pour in after the U.S. military operation on January 3, 2026, that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. India now faces a diplomatic bind, as the unilateral U.S. action under President Donald Trump conflicts with New Delhi's advocacy for a rules-based international order and non-intervention—principles many in the Global South expect India to uphold.
President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that U.S. forces conducted an overnight operation on January 3, 2026, capturing Maduro, who was taken to upstate New York and is expected to face drug trafficking charges in New York City.
India, which typically avoids hasty comments on distant conflicts, is caught between its strategic U.S. ties and its stance on sovereignty. This comes amid ongoing U.S.-India trade negotiations, complicated by Trump's proposed 50 percent tariffs, including a 25 percent penalty on Indian purchases of Russian oil. Though India has cut such imports, it views the measures as unfair compared to treatment of China and Europe.
India-Venezuela relations have been largely economic, driven by oil. Bilateral trade peaked at USD 6,397 million in 2019-20 (Indian imports: USD 6,057 million) but plummeted under U.S. sanctions to USD 431 million in 2022-23 (imports: USD 253 million). Politically, ties include Hugo Chávez's 2005 state visit to India and Maduro's 2012 trip as foreign minister. India's Ministry of External Affairs has advised citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Venezuela.
While voices like Russia (condemning 'armed aggression') and the EU (urging restraint) dominate global discourse, Delhi is not rushing a statement, balancing moral commitments to international law with pragmatic U.S. relations.
