Indian Embassy in touch with German authorities over Ariha Shah foster care case: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said the Indian Embassy in Germany remains in touch with the German authorities over the case of Ariha Shah, an Indian girl who has been living in German foster care. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India continues to take care of Ariha’s cultural needs, but said he did not have a fresh update on the case.

"I don't have an update on this particular matter. But let me assure you that we have been taking care of her cultural needs, and the embassy has been in touch with her and the German authorities on this particular subject," Jaiswal said.

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Ariha has been in German foster care since September 2021, when she was seven months old. German authorities took custody of the child following allegations of abuse by her parents.

India has been raising the matter with Germany and has sought her early return to India, stressing the importance of her linguistic, religious, cultural and social environment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also raised the issue with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during their meeting in Ahmedabad in January.

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Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had earlier said India was approaching the matter from a humanitarian perspective and was working to ensure that Ariha remained connected with Indian cultural surroundings while in Germany. This included efforts to facilitate interaction with Indian people and participation in Indian festivals in Germany.