India Urges Germany Over Custody Dispute Of Baby Ariha; Seeks Repatriation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in New Delhi on Friday, where they discussed the custody case of three-year-old Ariha Shah, an Indian child in German foster care.

During the briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri shared that Scholz is “very closely following” the matter. Misri noted, “The case has been followed very, very closely by us… Our embassy in Berlin has taken it up,” adding that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had previously raised the issue with German officials.

Misri explained, “We have at all levels impressed upon the German side that an Indian child growing up in an environment that is not hers — cultural, religious, linguistic — is somewhat unnatural and needs to be addressed.”

Background on Ariha Shah’s Case:

Bhavesh and Dhara Shah, a couple from Gujarat, moved to Berlin in 2018 and welcomed their daughter, Ariha, in 2021. At seven months old, Ariha sustained an accidental injury that led the hospital to alert German authorities, suspecting abuse. This led to Germany’s Jugendamt (Youth Welfare Office) taking custody of the child, limiting her parents’ visits to once every two weeks.

While assault charges were eventually dropped, German authorities pursued a case of negligence, ultimately dismissed in February 2022 with no charges filed. Despite this, Ariha remains in foster care, with Jugendamt filing a civil custody case to terminate parental rights.

India has continually advocated for Ariha’s return, emphasizing the need for her to grow up in a familiar cultural and linguistic environment. Foreign Minister Jaishankar had previously highlighted India’s concerns, stating, “Our embassy is pursuing this with German authorities,” and that he had discussed the issue with his German counterpart.