Saudi increases India’s Haj quota by 5,000, taking to 1.75Lakhs

Mangaloretoday News Network

MUMBAI, Jan 09: Saudi Arabia has increased India’s Haj quota by 5,000, taking it to 1,75,025, the highest since Independence. Union minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who signed the bilateral annual Haj (2018) agreement with the Saudi authorities a few days ago, credited the increase in Haj quota, for the consecutive second year, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s immense popularity with the Saudi regime, especially the Saudi monarch Salman bin Abdul Aziz al Saud.

"Last year, Saudi Arabia had increased India’s Haj quota by 35,000 and this year they have increased it by 5,000. PM Modi’s popularity with the Saudi authorities has helped us get this increase which will help us allow more pilgrims to proceed for Haj this year," said Naqvi.

In 2017, India’s Haj quota was 1,70,025 out of which 1,25,000 went through the Haj Committee of India while 45,000 chose private tour operators (PTOs). Now with the 5,000 increase in the quota, even the PTOs are expecting increase in their share of the quota and feel elated.

"It is welcome news and we appreciate the efforts of the minority affairs minister who lobbied for this increase. The demand is three times more than the seats available to PTOs and this increase in the quota is certainly going to help us too," said Yusuf Kherada of Al Khalid Tours and Travels, a leading PTO.

For the Haj 2018, the Haj Committee has received around 3,55,000 applications. This year there is no reservation for those who have applied for the fourth time.


Naqvi said that for the first time, around 1,300 women from India will go to Haj without mahram (male companion) this year as they will be exempted from lottery system. Saudi Arabia has also given green signal to India’s decision to revive the option of sending pilgrims through sea route too. Sea route is expected to open from next year.