In a major development in the custody case, the Norway Child Welfare Service on Tuesday decided that the care of the two children “should be awarded to the brother of the children’s father enabling him to take them children back to India.”

The two minors, Abhigyan and Aishwarya, have been under the protective care of Norway’s child welfare authorities since last May after they accused the parents of negligence in raising them and an “emotional disconnect” between the parents and the kids.

In a statement the Norway embassy said, “this week the Child Welfare Service in Stavanger completed its talks with the uncle in the case concerning two Indian children. It has been concluded that care of the children should be awarded to the brother of the children’s father enabling him to take the children back to India.”

Though a significant measure, the “conclusion” does not guarantee immediate return of the kids. “The proposed solution will be presented to Stavanger district court, which will take a final call on the issue. The provisional date for the hearing has been set for March 23,” the statement added.

Norway said, they would now ask Indian authorities to ensure the necessary follow-up for the children “in the event of their return to India.”

The kids’ paternal uncle, Arunabhash, went to Norway earlier this month after the Norway authorities in negotiations with India ruled out handing over of the kids to their biological parents. Because of public sentiments involved. India has been exerting intense diplomatic pressure on Norway to return the children back to India at the earliest.

Incidentally, the Norwegian government’s decision came after New Delhi took the unprecedented step of sending across a senior foreign ministry official as a special envoy to resolve the issue. Madhusudan Ganapathy, Secretary (West) left for Oslo on Sunday to take up the issue with the Norwegian government.

This is the first time that India decided to scale up its intervention in a case involving individuals. Usually, special envoys are sent for major bilateral issues. However, on January 23, external affairs minister SM Krishna spoke to his Norwegian counterpart. With the issues not getting any closer to a resolution by the end of February, Krishna decided to add some more diplomatic muscle to the efforts to get the kids back.

The fact that the issue was also snow balling into a major political tussle with BJP leader Sushma Swaraj and CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat also stepping in. The fact that the kids and their parents have visas valid only till March 8 also complicates the issue. Once the parents come back, the kids would be stuck in Norway indefinitely.

Finally, New Delhi is trying to negotiate a sticky wicket since the kids are under the jurisdiction of the Stavanger municipality where the central Norwegian government has little sway. Ganapathy met the Municipality’s governor and the Mayor and tried to convince them for help.