Overview
- Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the Prime Minister raised the case with Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ahmedabad and that India will continue sustained follow‑up with German authorities.
- India is emphasizing a humanitarian approach focused on the child’s interaction with the Indian community, participation in festivals, and plans to learn Hindi.
- German officials say cultural‑immersion steps are being implemented, noting English classes have begun and discussions are underway with the Indian embassy to arrange Hindi instruction.
- Germany has not agreed to repatriation or placement in India, while the parents remain limited to supervised visits twice a month and the Indian embassy has had restricted consular access.
- Ariha was placed in foster care in September 2021 after injuries were reported; prosecutors dropped charges in 2022 but courts kept custody, as activists renew repatriation demands and highlight mounting foster and legal bills.