India summons German envoy seeking return of baby Ariha

New Delhi: India summoned German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann this week and pressed for the return of an Indian baby girl, who has been living in a foster care in Berlin for over 20 months.

Ariha Shah, aged seven months then, was placed in the custody of Germany's Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt) on September 23, 2021 after she suffered an accidental injury. She has been in foster care since then.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Ackerman was summoned earlier this week on the Ariha issue.

India has been maintaining that it is important for the child to be in her linguistic, religious, cultural and social environment.

Last December, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed to his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock concerns over the girl.