The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued an urgent advisory on 3 January 2026 asking Indian nationals to defer all non-essential travel to Venezuela and to closely monitor local developments. The notice follows multiple U.S. precision strikes on military targets near Caracas earlier in the day, escalating regional volatility.
Indian officials said there are fewer than 500 Indian passport-holders currently in Venezuela, most of whom work in the oil‐services, information-technology and diamond-trading sectors. Those already in the country have been told to restrict movement, maintain regular contact with the Indian Embassy in Caracas, and register on the MADAD consular portal so that authorities can locate them quickly if evacuations become necessary. A dedicated 24-hour WhatsApp hotline (+58-412-958-4288) and e-mail address ([email protected]) have been activated.
Travellers evaluating whether to defer, reroute or proceed with essential trips may also need to revisit their documentation strategy. VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) provides live updates on Venezuelan visa requirements, neighbouring-country transit rules and worldwide entry restrictions, and its concierge team can fast-track applications or advise on alternative options when embassy operations are disrupted.
![India warns citizens against non-essential travel to Venezuela after U.S. air-strikes]()
The advisory highlights a growing pattern of geopolitical flashpoints that can suddenly up-end corporate mobility programmes. Venezuelan airspace has seen intermittent closures since late-2025; insurers now classify the entire country as ‘elevated risk’, meaning business-travel policies may exclude cover unless special riders are purchased. Global mobility managers with staff on rotational assignments have been urged to review crisis-management plans, re-route upcoming deployments via safer hubs such as Bogotá or Panama City, and confirm that travellers are enrolled in real-time tracking tools.
Indian energy companies with technicians at joint-venture sites in the Orinoco Belt are considering staggered crew changes or temporary relocation to Trinidad. Meanwhile, Indian exporters using Venezuelan ports for onward trans-shipment to the Caribbean have been advised to factor in possible customs slowdowns and higher freight premiums. Experts note that, unlike previous advisories limited to specific regions, the MEA’s blanket caution underscores the seriousness of the security assessment.
For global-mobility stakeholders, the episode is a reminder that secondary markets—often attractive because of favourable tax regimes—can also carry disproportionate security, insurance and medical-evacuation costs. Companies are advised to update employee-briefing materials and confirm that evacuation clauses and salary-gross-up provisions in assignment letters cover conflict zones.
Indian officials said there are fewer than 500 Indian passport-holders currently in Venezuela, most of whom work in the oil‐services, information-technology and diamond-trading sectors. Those already in the country have been told to restrict movement, maintain regular contact with the Indian Embassy in Caracas, and register on the MADAD consular portal so that authorities can locate them quickly if evacuations become necessary. A dedicated 24-hour WhatsApp hotline (+58-412-958-4288) and e-mail address ([email protected]) have been activated.
Travellers evaluating whether to defer, reroute or proceed with essential trips may also need to revisit their documentation strategy. VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) provides live updates on Venezuelan visa requirements, neighbouring-country transit rules and worldwide entry restrictions, and its concierge team can fast-track applications or advise on alternative options when embassy operations are disrupted.
The advisory highlights a growing pattern of geopolitical flashpoints that can suddenly up-end corporate mobility programmes. Venezuelan airspace has seen intermittent closures since late-2025; insurers now classify the entire country as ‘elevated risk’, meaning business-travel policies may exclude cover unless special riders are purchased. Global mobility managers with staff on rotational assignments have been urged to review crisis-management plans, re-route upcoming deployments via safer hubs such as Bogotá or Panama City, and confirm that travellers are enrolled in real-time tracking tools.
Indian energy companies with technicians at joint-venture sites in the Orinoco Belt are considering staggered crew changes or temporary relocation to Trinidad. Meanwhile, Indian exporters using Venezuelan ports for onward trans-shipment to the Caribbean have been advised to factor in possible customs slowdowns and higher freight premiums. Experts note that, unlike previous advisories limited to specific regions, the MEA’s blanket caution underscores the seriousness of the security assessment.
For global-mobility stakeholders, the episode is a reminder that secondary markets—often attractive because of favourable tax regimes—can also carry disproportionate security, insurance and medical-evacuation costs. Companies are advised to update employee-briefing materials and confirm that evacuation clauses and salary-gross-up provisions in assignment letters cover conflict zones.
