Abortion row: India envoy to formally raise concerns with Ireland

India's envoy to Ireland will today officially raise New Delhi's concerns over the death of Savita Halappanavar, an Indian dentist who died in a hospital in Ireland after doctors refused to terminate her pregnancy.

India's envoy to Ireland will on Friday officially raise New Delhi's concerns over the death of Savita Halappanavar, an Indian dentist who died in a hospital in Ireland after doctors refused to terminate her pregnancy.

"I think saving the life of the mother is of prime importance, if you can't save the life of the child," external affairs minister Salman Khurshid told reporters in New Delhi.

The envoy is expected to present facts as they have been given by the family of the deceased, said highly-placed sources in the external affairs ministry.

"It's an extremely sad and unfortunate thing to happen," said the source.

Halappanavar arrived Oct 21 with back pain at Galway University Hospital in Ireland where she was found to be miscarrying at 17 weeks.

She died of septicaemia Oct 28.

People outside Leinster House in Dublin protest against Savita Halappanavar's death. AP