julie-bishopAustralian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop who is currently in India has made a statement to the Australian Media that the Consular Officials in Delhi who handled the case of an Australian Couple who left behind one of the twins born through surrogacy in India, had “acted professionally”. The context of the statement is unclear, though it can presumed that the statement is only a press-release. India-Australia have not opened a dialogue on this issue yet.

The stand of the Australian Foreign Minister is that the application for Australian Citizenship was received for only one child and the twin had no application for Australian Citizenship. The role of Australian Embassy, according to the Australian Government, is “limited” as the child was not a citizen of Australia.

The Australian Foreign Minister had stated to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the other child left in India was “a matter for the Indian authorities as it always was”.

The response by the Australian Government/Foreign Minister can be rather termed insensitive. The identity of the couple has not been disclosed and the location, status and welfare of the child is unclear. The Australian High Commission had in fact wired to the Australian Government in Canberra that the adoptive parents are not clear friends of the Australian Citizens, but are not known only through a mutual friend.

Nothing to show that the Australian Consulate informed the Indian Authorities.

Although Australia claims that the child left behind in India is only a concern of the Indian Authorities, there is nothing to show that the Australian Consulate had informed any Indian Authority about the child being left behind in India. The alleged “adoption” cannot have taken place unless the child is actually a citizen of India. The child cannot be accorded an Indian citizenship as the child was genetically unrelated to an Indian Legal Parent.

Interest of the Child foremost importance

The primary importance must be given to the interest of the child. The Australian Government must ensure that the identity of the couple is disclosed and that the child is presently in safe hands. When the Australian Government refuses to release these information, the Indian Authorities have nil information to act upon.

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