Prithviraj Chavan Warns India Could Face Venezuela-Like Situation

Raising concerns over India’s sovereignty, he asked, “What next? Will something like what happened in Venezuela happen in India? Will Mr Trump kidnap our Prime Minister?”

Chavan said the US action violated the UN Charter and international law, and criticised the Indian government for remaining silent on the crisis in Venezuela. “The international community has criticised this, but India is silent, as always, and has not taken a stand on the Venezuela matter. Russia and China have criticised what America has done,” he said.

Later, Chavan clarified that his remarks were intended as a warning about the weakening of the United Nations system. He said he did not mean to suggest that India faced an immediate threat, but that such actions set a dangerous precedent.

This is not the first time Chavan has courted controversy. Earlier, he made contentious claims regarding Operation Sindoor, alleging that India suffered a setback on the first day of the operation. He had claimed that Indian aircraft were shot down during the four-day conflict and that the Indian Air Force was effectively grounded due to the risk of further losses.

The Congress leader also cited India’s positions on other global conflicts. “The same thing happened during the Ukraine war—we did not take a side. We did not take a stand on the Israel–Hamas issue either. Now we are so scared of the Americans that we are not even trying to criticise what has happened,” Chavan said.

“If we claim to be the world’s third-largest economy, we must take a stand. If we want to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council, we will have to play a role. This approach will not work,” he added.

Chavan further warned that a proposed 50 per cent tariff could severely impact India–US trade. “Since a direct ban cannot be imposed, tariffs are being used as a tool to stop trade. India will have to bear the cost. Profits earned from exports to the US will no longer be available, and we will have to look for alternative markets. Efforts in that direction are already underway,” he said.