India-Germany Talks Focus on Ariha Shah’s Foster Care Situation

The ongoing diplomatic dialogue between India and Germany has brought attention to the case of Ariha Shah, an Indian child in German foster care. Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar discussed the matter with German Foreign Minister Johann Wedphul, highlighting the need to protect Ariha’s cultural rights. Ariha, approximately four years old, was separated from her parents, Dhara and Bhavesh Shah, and placed in foster care following an injury. While the parents maintain the injury was unintentional, the German authorities have kept her in care. Jaishankar urged for the swift resolution of the case, stressing the importance of raising Ariha within an Indian cultural context. The Indian government’s Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Berlin are actively working towards bringing her back. The MEA is worried that the current foster arrangement might negatively impact Ariha’s emotional and mental wellbeing. The parents are deeply concerned about her well-being and are actively seeking her return, fearing that the delay in the legal process could lead to permanent loss of custody.