Following German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s first official visit to India, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters that amid strategic talks, PM Narendra Modi has also taken up the issue of returning baby Ariha Shah to India with the Chancellor.
Presently five years of age, baby Ariha Shah was separated from her Indian parents by German authorities when she was 6 months old under a case of child abuse and had been put in the country’s foster care system.
Following this development in 2021, the case has since then drawn much public attention with several child welfare based NGO runners and activists advocating for baby Ariha Shah’s return to India.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz landed in Ahmedabad earlier today as a part of his first official visit to India marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
What’s the case about?
The Ariha Shah case dates back to a chilly September evening in Berlin in 2021, when Ariha reportedly felt sick and was then taken to hospital by her parents, Dhara and Bhavesh Shah, after they noticed bleeding in her diaper.
While evaluating Ariha’s medical case, German authorities found certain evidence linking Shah’s injury to a child abuse case. Following some investigation, Ariha was seized by Germany’s Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt) on September 23, 2021. The parents maintained the injury was an accident caused by the child’s visiting grandmother during a diaper change.
The case soon evolved into a legal battle between Ariha’s parents (Indian nationals from Mumbai/Gujarat living in Berlin) and German authorities. In February 2022, German police closed the criminal investigation against the parents without filing any charges. However, a civil court later ruled that Ariha remained in foster care, citing a “risk of harm” if returned to her parents.
Now five years old, Ariha has spent nearly 4.5 years in foster care and has been moved across five different foster homes. Her parents are currently allowed only limited visitation (about once every 15–20 days).
What did Foreign Secy Misri say?
The Ariha Shah has been a subject of much discussion and debate among country’s social work groups where NGO runners and activists. Some of the activists had also demanded for the baby Arisha case to be taken up with the German chancellor prior to his India visit.
Presenting the latest developments in the case, Misri stated that India will continue to follow up with the German government on the baby Ariha case and will remain in touch with the family at every step.
“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.” Misti said at the event.
“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 added.
He further stated that the MEA is also making efforts to ensure that baby Ariha is raised in an Indian environment as much as possible, like interacting with the Indian community and participating in Indian festivals celebrated in Germany.
“We would like to make arrangements for her to learn Hindi,” he added.
In September last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that he raised the issue of Ariha Shah during his meeting with German counterpart Johann Wadephul in New Delhi.
Why is the German Chancellor in India?
Chancellor Merz’s visit marks his first official trip to India and comes as the two countries celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations.
The visit is aimed at strengthening the India–Germany strategic partnership, with discussions covering cooperation in defence, clean energy, global trade and talent mobility. Germany is one of India’s largest trading partners in the European Union.
The visit continues on January 13, with Chancellor Merz traveling to Bengaluru to focus on business and technological collaboration.