‘Taking care of her cultural needs’: MEA says pursuing Ariha Shah's case with German authorities

India is in regular touch with the German authorities over the case of Ariha Shah, an Indian girl child who has been living in German foster care for nearly five years, while assuring that her cultural upbringing is being preserved, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.

Ariha Shah was placed under German foster care custody in September 2021, when she was just seven months old, after her grandmother accidentally hurt her, and she has remained in foster care in Germany since then.

Responding to queries during a weekly press briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal acknowledged the ongoing situation, reiterating that Indian diplomats are actively monitoring the child's well-being, especially her cultural needs.

"On the Ariha Shah case, I don't have an update on this particular matter," Jaiswal stated. "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 subject."

Earlier in January, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had also highlighted India's continuing engagement with German authorities on the case of Ariha Shah, stressing that New Delhi was approaching the matter with a humanitarian focus while extending support to the family.

During a media briefing, Misri noted that India has been in sustained communication with German authorities both in India and in Germany.

"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," he had said.

He had noted that while the case had previously been treated as a legal matter, India believes it should ultimately be viewed through a humanitarian lens.

"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," he had said.

“Save Ariha Team”

A team called "Save Ariha Team" has expressed deep concerns over the continued separation of Ariha Shah. Earlier this year, the team urged the Government of India to intervene diplomatically for her immediate repatriation ahead of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to India. According to MEA, the matter was also raised with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his two-day official visit to India from January 12 to 13.

In a press release issued, the group said Ariha has remained under the custody of German Child Services (Jugendamt) in Berlin despite the closure of all police cases against her parents in February 2022. Ariha was taken into foster care in September 2021 and has since been moved across five different foster homes.

According to the Save Ariha Team, a higher court in Germany in 2024 had recommended placing the child in a parent-child facility with her parents. However, the recommendation was not implemented, and custody remains with German authorities. At present, no active legal proceedings regarding Ariha's custody are pending in Germany, leaving her future uncertain.

The group raised serious concerns over what it described as violations of Ariha's fundamental rights.