By Staff, Agencies

India has called for dialogue among all parties to address the situation in Venezuela following the US operation that abducted President Nicolas Maduro, an act that has drawn widespread international condemnation.

Speaking in Luxembourg on Tuesday, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the safety and well-being of the Venezuelan people remain New Delhi’s primary concern, urging diplomacy over escalation.

“We are concerned at the developments, but we would really urge all the parties involved to now sit down and sort of come to a position which is in the interest of the well-being and the safety of the people of Venezuela,” Jaishankar said.

“At the end of the day, that is our concern — that we would want Venezuela, the country with whom over many, many years we’ve had very good relations, and its people to come out well from whatever is the direction of events,” he added.

Venezuela was once a major oil supplier to India, though crude flows declined sharply after sanctions were imposed years before the current crisis.

Despite this, India’s Reliance Industries continues to import around two million barrels of Venezuelan oil per month, while the state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) holds stakes in the San Cristobal and Carabobo-1 oil projects.

India’s Foreign Ministry said earlier that it is in contact with members of the Indian community in Venezuela and will “continue to provide all possible assistance.” Around 50 Indian citizens and approximately 30 people of Indian origin are believed to be in the country.

New Delhi has also expressed concern over America’s military intervention in Venezuela, while avoiding explicit mention of the US.

In a carefully worded statement issued on Sunday, the Foreign Ministry said it was closely monitoring developments. Jaishankar similarly refrained from naming Washington during his remarks in Luxembourg.

Other BRICS members — including Russia, China, Brazil, and Iran — have openly condemned the US raid.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Moscow stands in solidarity with its long-time ally Venezuela “in the face of blatant neo-colonial threats and external armed aggression,” calling for Maduro’s immediate release and restoration as head of state.

On Saturday, Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were abducted by US forces and flown to the United States to face trial.

Venezuela’s former vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in as interim leader on Monday.