Saudi Arabia ‘slashes’ Indian private Hajj quota by 80 per cent. Omar, Mehbooba urge MEA to step in

Hajj 2025: Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has urged the Union Ministry of External Affairs to ‘immediately’ intervene and take up the reported slashing of the private Hajj pilgrim quota for Indian pilgrims by 80 per cent with the government of Saudi Arabia. 

The sudden decision, Mufti said, caused distress for pilgrims and tour operators and called it ‘disturbing news.’

“Disturbing news emerging from Saudi Arabia. Reports indicate that 80% of India’s private Hajj quota has been cut abruptly,” Mufti said in a post on X on Sunday, April 13.

“This sudden decision is causing immense distress for pilgrims and tour operators across the country,” she said and urged “Ministry of External Affairs to immediately intervene by taking up this matter with the Saudi government to seek a resolution.”

Omar Abdullah, the CM of the Union Territory, has also urged MEA S Jaishankar to engage with the Kingdom and explore a resolution in the interest of all affected pilgrims.  

‘52,000 Indian pilgrims in lurch’

Abdullah said the cancellation of Hajj slots for over ‘52,000 Indian pilgrims’, many of whom have already completed payments, is deeply concerning.

“This measure is crucial to ease the distress of thousands hoping to undertake the sacred pilgrimage this year,” Abdullah said in a post on X from his official handle.

LiveMint could not verify the exact number of private Hajj pilgrims headed to Saudi Arabia this year.

Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities of Islam in Saudi Arabia. The pilgrimage is performed during a particular period that culminates with Eid-ul-Adha.

A recent report in the Times of India said that the fate of about 52,000 Indian Hajj pilgrims was uncertain as Saudi Arabia has cancelled the zones in Mina (a stop during Hajj in the Kingdom) that were earlier allotted to private tour operators.

When is Hajj 2025?

This year, Hajj is expected to take place from June 4 to June 9, 2025, depending on the sighting of the moon, marking the beginning of Zil-Hajj, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. Pilgrims will likely begin their journey to Saudi Arabia as early as the end of April.

The Hajj pilgrimage for Indian pilgrims is conducted either through the Hajj Committee of India (HCoI), a statutory organisation under the administrative control of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, or through Private Tour Operators (PTOs), also known as Hajj Group Organisers (HGOs)

In 2024, about 1,40,000 Indians proceeded for Hajj, according to government of India numbers.

In January 2025, India signed a Haj agreement with Saudi Arabia, finalising a quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims. Union Ministry of Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju signed the agreement with Saudi Arabia's Minister for Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah in Jeddah.

"Hajj Agreement 2025 signed with Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, Minister for Hajj and Umrah of Kindom of Saudi Arabia. Finalized a quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims from India for Hajj 2025. We are committed to providing the best possible services to all our HajJ pilgrims," Rijiju said in a post on X in January.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha in January, Rijiju said that for the year 2025, the quota has been distributed within the same range between HCoI and HGOs, in the ratio of 70:30, which has been communicated vide the Hajj Policy-2025 issued on August 5, 2024.

For Hajj 2025, the quota of Haj pilgrims allotted to HGOs is 30 per cent of India's total of 1,75,025, i.e., 52,507, Rijiju said. He also said that in the last five years, the quota distribution between HCoI and HGOs has varied between 70:30 and 80:20.

Saudi Arabia has taken many crowd control measures for Hajj this year. The Kingdom has imposed new travel restrictions, suspending the issuance of certain visas to people from 14 countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan and India, as per reports.

However, the suspension does not impact pilgrims from India who have secured Hajj visas to Saudi Arabia strictly for Hajj. The suspension specifically targets other visa categories to prevent unauthorised individuals from performing Hajj without proper registration and to avoid overcrowding.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak with the leaders of Saudi Arabia on the issue. 

Hajj application of 37 kids rejected 

In a related development, applications of 37 children under 12 years old were cancelled from Telangana, according to a report in Deccan Chronicle. The full amount deposited for their pilgrimage will be refunded, officials said.

Children below 12 years of age are not allowed to travel to Hajj. 

(With agency inputs)