Australia has decided to recommence the child adoption programme with India about eight years after it put the adoption programme on hold following reports of trafficking of children for inter-country adoption by some of the recognised Indian placement agencies.
It was mandatory for the adoption agencies to place children in inter-country adoption at that point of time.
"The Government of Australia has decided to recommence the adoption programme with India as per Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoption," the Women and Child Development ministry said in a statement.
The recommencement of the adoption programmes will now enable large number of prospective adoptive parents, including those of Indian origin settled in Australia, in fulfilling their desire of adopting a child from India, the ministry said.
The ministry along with the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is "constantly" engaging with the Australian government for recommencement of the adoption programme, the ministry said
"The adoptions from India had earlier been put on hold by the Government of Australia eight years ago, on the reported charges of trafficking of children for Inter-country adoption by some of the recognized Indian placement agencies," the ministry added.
The regulation of inter-country adoptions has been made strict in India with the enactment of Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, and notification of Adoption Regulations, 2017.
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