GANDHINAGAR, Gujarat — Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised the case of baby Ariha Shah, an Indian child currently in German foster care, during discussions with visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday.
Addressing a special briefing on the German leader’s visit to India, Misri said New Delhi remains actively engaged with German authorities and will continue to pursue the matter at every level while maintaining close contact with the child’s family.
“We have been in discussions with the German government, all the German authorities, their Embassy here in Delhi, and the German government in Berlin, and all the agencies involved, for quite some time,” Misri said. “This case was, at one point, a legal matter, but we believe that ultimately, it should be approached keeping in mind the humanitarian issues involved.”
Misri said the government is making efforts to ensure that Ariha is raised, as far as possible, in an Indian cultural environment while she remains in Germany, including interaction with the Indian community and participation in Indian festivals. Authorities are also exploring ways for the child to learn Hindi.
“I can’t say that we understand the family’s distress and difficulties as only they can understand them. We are fully aware of the situation, and we are trying our best to help them in every way possible,” he said. “We are also trying to ensure that baby Ariha is raised as much as possible in an Indian environment, whether it’s interacting with Indian people or participating in Indian festivals being celebrated in Germany. We would like to make arrangements for her to learn Hindi.”
Misri said Prime Minister Modi personally raised the issue with Chancellor Merz and reiterated India’s commitment to sustained engagement with the German government.
“I want to assure you all that we are committed on this issue with the German government on every stage, and Prime Minister Modi also mentioned this to the Chancellor,” he said. “So, we will continue to follow up with the German government on this issue, and we will stay with the family at every step.”
He added that the issue is being treated with the same priority as other matters central to India-Germany relations. Senior officials in the Ministry of External Affairs remain in regular contact with the family and meet them whenever they visit India.
Ariha Shah was placed in the custody of Germany’s Youth Welfare Office, or Jugendamt, on September 23, 2021, after she suffered an accidental injury at the age of seven months. She has remained in foster care since then. Indian authorities have consistently maintained that it is important for the child to grow up within her linguistic, religious, cultural, and social environment.
The issue has been raised previously at senior diplomatic levels. In September last year, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said he discussed Ariha Shah’s case with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, during talks in New Delhi. (Source: IANS)
