The Indian government is actively communicating with German authorities regarding Ariha Shah, an Indian girl who has been in foster care in Germany for nearly five years. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Friday that efforts are being made to ensure her cultural upbringing is maintained during her time in care.
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.
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. 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. A higher court in Germany in 2024 had recommended placing the child in a parent-child facility with her parents, according to the Save Ariha Team.
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.
