JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with India for a Haj quota this year of 136,020 pilgrims.
A total of 100,020 pilgrims will come through the Haj Committee of India and the other 36,000 through private tour operators (PTOs).
A high-level delegation, led by Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. V.K. Singh, was in Jeddah on Thursday to sign the agreement with Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar.
The Indian delegation included Ambassador Ahmad Javed, Consul General B.S. Mubarak and Aseem Mahajan, OSD (Haj) at the Ministry of External Affairs.
Others in attendance included Rakesh Mohan, joint secretary at the Ministry of Minority Affairs; Ataur Rahman, chief executive officer of India’s Haj Committee; Puja Jindal, director of the Ministry of Civil Aviation; and Mohammed Shahid Alam, deputy consul general and Haj consul.
The Saudi side included Husain Shareef, deputy Haj minister; Mohammed Simsim, deputy minister for transportation (projects and holy Haj sites); Prince Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Saa’d Al-Saud, deputy interior minister for affairs of the regions; and other officials.
On account of the ongoing expansion at the Grand Mosque, the Kingdom has reduced the quota for all countries by 20 percent and for Saudi and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) pilgrims by 50 percent.
Saudi and Indian officials discussed various other Haj-related issues, including better catering services for pilgrims. Both sides agreed to work and coordinate closely for Haj 1437.
A total of 100,020 pilgrims will come through the Haj Committee of India and the other 36,000 through private tour operators (PTOs).
A high-level delegation, led by Minister of State for External Affairs Gen. V.K. Singh, was in Jeddah on Thursday to sign the agreement with Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar.
The Indian delegation included Ambassador Ahmad Javed, Consul General B.S. Mubarak and Aseem Mahajan, OSD (Haj) at the Ministry of External Affairs.
Others in attendance included Rakesh Mohan, joint secretary at the Ministry of Minority Affairs; Ataur Rahman, chief executive officer of India’s Haj Committee; Puja Jindal, director of the Ministry of Civil Aviation; and Mohammed Shahid Alam, deputy consul general and Haj consul.
The Saudi side included Husain Shareef, deputy Haj minister; Mohammed Simsim, deputy minister for transportation (projects and holy Haj sites); Prince Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Saa’d Al-Saud, deputy interior minister for affairs of the regions; and other officials.
On account of the ongoing expansion at the Grand Mosque, the Kingdom has reduced the quota for all countries by 20 percent and for Saudi and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) pilgrims by 50 percent.
Saudi and Indian officials discussed various other Haj-related issues, including better catering services for pilgrims. Both sides agreed to work and coordinate closely for Haj 1437.
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