Hajj 2025: Saudi to accommodate 10,000 more Indian pilgrims amid private quota cut row

THE Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has agreed to accommodate 10,000 Indian pilgrims after the Union government engaged with the kingdom over the reported slashing of the private Hajj pilgrim quota for Indian pilgrims, the Ministry of Minority Affairs said on April 15.

The ministry blamed private tour operators for India losing over 52,500 slots for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. The ministry has now issued urgent directions to these private operators to complete their process without delay.

LiveMint reported earlier how the fate of about 52,000 Indian Hajj pilgrims was uncertain as Saudi Arabia cancelled the zones in Mina (a stop during Hajj in the Kingdom) that had been allotted to private tour operators.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti, among other political leaders, raised the issue. They urged the Union Ministry of External Affairs to ‘immediately’ intervene and take up the matter with Saudi authorities, as it had caused distress for pilgrims.

The ministry said that the Union Government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, gives high priority to Indian Muslims undertaking the annual Haj pilgrimage. As a result of its efforts, it said, the country allocation for India, which was 1,36,020 in 2014, gradually increased to 1,75,025 in 2025.

When is Hajj 2025?

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.

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 ministry, through the Hajj Committee of India, manages arrangements for the bulk of the quota allotted to India, which is 1,22,518 in the current year. The balance of the quota (over 50,000 pilgrims) was allotted to Private Tour Operators. Due to changes in Saudi guidelines, the Ministry consolidated more than 800 Private Tour Operators into 26 legal entities termed Combined Haj Group Operators (CHGOs) this year.

“However, despite reminders, they failed to comply with the necessary timelines set by the Saudi authorities and failed to finalise the mandatory contracts, including for Mina camps, accommodation and transport of pilgrims, as required under the Saudi regulations,” the ministry said.

Modi government engaged with the concerned Saudi authorities, including at the ministerial level.

“Due to the government’s intervention, the Saudi Hajj Ministry has agreed to reopen the Haj Portal (Nusuk Portal) to all CHGOs to complete their work in respect of 10,000 pilgrims based on the current space availability in Mina,” the ministry said.

“Directions have been issued by the Ministry to CHGOs to do so urgently. India would naturally appreciate any gesture by Saudi authorities to accommodate more pilgrims,” it added.

Saudi visa restrictions

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.

Due to the government’s intervention, the Saudi Haj Ministry has agreed to reopen the Haj Portal to all CHGOs to complete their work in respect of 10,000 pilgrims based on the current space availability in Mina.
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.