Activists have accused the German government of violating the human and cultural rights of 5-year-old Ariha Shah, an Indian child taken from her parents four years ago over abuse claims. They want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise Ariha’s case with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his visit on January 13, 2026. Despite India's multiple requests, Germany has not allowed Ariha to return to India for foster care. Mr. Merz's two-day India visit starts January 12 in Ahmedabad with talks with Mr. Modi planned. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has repeatedly discussed Ariha’s case with German officials. “It is imperative that the Government of India raises Ariha’s case at the highest level to ensure her immediate repatriation to India,” said Yatin Shah from the Save Ariha Team. The group stresses Ariha should learn Gujarati or Hindi and be exposed to the Jain religion to respect her cultural rights, warning this neglect violates the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Ministry of External Affairs said all bilateral issues will be discussed during the meeting. German embassy officials state they are offering English classes and talking about Hindi lessons, with the Indian embassy granted regular consular access to Ariha. Her parents can visit her twice a month. Ariha has been taken to a local temple four times, and Indian books have been shared. The Shah family argues that living away from an Indian home damages Ariha’s cultural upbringing. After dropping abuse charges, German authorities billed the parents around ₹38 lakh for foster care and legal costs. Chancellor Merz will visit the Sabarmati Ashram, attend the Kite Festival, meet PM Modi in Gandhinagar, and hold a summit. Then he will travel to Bengaluru to visit Bosch’s India headquarters and the Indian Institute of Science center for nano science. This is Merz’s first Asia trip as Chancellor.