According to the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), over 5022 children were adopted in India between April 2025 and March 2026. This figure marks the highest in more than a decade.
According to CARA information, out of the total number of adopted children, 4603 were adopted through domestic procedures, while international adoptions accounted for 419 children. In the previous reporting period, 2024-25, 4515 children were adopted.
Of all children declared available for adoption and listed in the pool of Specialized Adoption Agencies (SAA) across India, 80% are categorized as children with special needs. Last year, 392 such children were adopted, representing a 25% increase compared to 2024-25.
Historically, in 2015-16, the total number of adoptions was 3677, and the 4000 mark was first exceeded in 2018-19. During the pandemic, this figure saw a decline, after which it began to rise again in 2023-24, once again surpassing the 4000 mark.
Although very young children entering the pool quickly find adoptive parents, the number of older children and children with special needs continues to accumulate in the waiting pool. The average waiting time for adoption for infants and young children is estimated at approximately three years.
The head of CARA, Bhavna Saxena, attributes the increase in adoptions to a targeted strategy. This strategy involves continuous monitoring of specialized adoption agencies and child welfare committees through CARA's 'identification center' to ensure that suitable children in institutions are declared available for adoption without delay.
According to CARA's database, out of the 5022 adoptions, 2756 were girls, 2263 were boys, and three cases were categorized as 'other'. Officially, the adoption of girls increased by 8% compared to 2024-25, when 2554 girls were adopted. The fact that there are more girls on the adoption list aligns with past trends.
Officials note that while a higher number of potential parents choosing a girl reflects a change in mindset, some adoption organizations believe that the higher figures are related to more girls being present in adoption agencies and orphanages, and thus available in the adoption pool.
According to the head of CARA, more attention is now being paid to raising awareness about children with special needs so that interested parents can receive counseling and assistance in choosing such a child. Saxena added that last year they started conducting regional consultations and found that parents were becoming more inclined to consider children with special needs, and this year they plan to strengthen coverage.
She also reported that 392 children with special needs were adopted last year, which is 25% more than in 2024-25, when there were 313. Furthermore, adoptions by relatives and stepmothers increased by 50%, reaching 1231 cases compared to 820.
To strengthen the system, 118 new child welfare committees have been established, and 52 new specialized agencies have been registered in the last year. As of July 2024, 266 new SAAs have been registered and activated.
The head of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mohan Bhagwat, emphasized on Sunday that marriage is a discipline that instills dharma. He noted that alternatives to marriage are cohabitations, which can be observed worldwide.
Bhagwat commented on modern trends, stating that people seek happiness without taking on responsibilities, preferring to spend time together when it suits them and separating when the desire fades. He questioned what grows with such an approach, urging people to look around the world.
During an event in Hyderabad, the RSS chief characterized cohabitations as 'decline' and 'blind imitation of Western culture,' despite welcoming modernization. He also supported the idea that LGBTQ+ individuals are part of society and should not be condemned.
Bhagwat stressed the importance of parents cultivating mobile discipline and the significance of family discussions in resolving issues for the younger generation and various family problems. Addressing youth lifestyle issues, including excessive use of mobile phones, he called on the older generation to exhibit the behavior they wish to see in their children.
He advised: 'Be the change you want to see in society. Reduce time spent on social media. Maintain mobile discipline.' Bhagwat added that in their tradition, society stands above the government, and that families can independently resolve many issues instead of waiting for laws from authorities.
The RSS chief also pointed out that British rule led Indians to consider everything ancient as 'useless.' He suggested that Western countries face difficulties due to an incomplete understanding of the same issues that India has also addressed.
According to Der Spiegel and RBB24, the suspect in the attack on the LGBTQ+ parade in Berlin, Germany, was eliminated by police on Sunday. The man was shot during a police operation in a garden complex in Spandau.
The suspect has been identified as Abdul Ballut, a 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese origin. According to German media Der Spiegel and the newspaper Bild, he attempted to join the Islamic State in Syria in 2025 but was detained in Lebanon.
As a German citizen, he was repatriated to his country, where in 2026 he was convicted in another case for 'preparation for an act of serious violence threatening state security.'
The attack occurred on Saturday evening when a white van crashed into people gathered in Tiergarten park, near the LGBT pride parade route. The incident resulted in one death and at least 29 injuries, some of whom are in critical condition.
