Saudi Arabia has agreed to reopen the Hajj (Nusuk) Portal for private Combined Haj Group Operators (CHGOs) to accommodate an additional 10,000 pilgrims, following a formal request by the Indian government.
The Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) announced this on Tuesday, adding that this decision was based on the current availability in Mina, the holy site central to the Hajj pilgrimage.
The ministry issued urgent instructions to CHGOs to act immediately and complete their pending processes without delay. According to officials, several CHGOs failed to meet the critical deadlines set by Saudi authorities, despite repeated reminders. These delays included finalizing essential contracts for Mina camps, transportation, and accommodation.
As a result, many zones in Mina that were previously allocated to Indian private tour operators were cancelled by Saudi Arabia, creating uncertainty for thousands of pilgrims. A recent Times of India report highlighted that nearly 52,000 Indian pilgrims were at risk of being left out due to this issue.
Following the intervention of the Indian Ministry of Minority Affairs, the Saudi Hajj Ministry reconsidered its stance and reopened the portal, allowing 10,000 more pilgrims to be included under the private operators’ quota.
According to the Haj Policy 2025, 70 per cent of the pilgrims from India will go through the Hajj Committee of India, while the remaining 30 per cent will be handled by private tour operators. For 2025, Saudi Arabia has allotted 1,75,025 (1.75 lakh) Hajj seats to India.
To ensure smooth preparations for Indian pilgrims, MoMA Secretary Chandra Shekhar Kumar and Joint Secretary CPS Bakshi recently visited Jeddah to monitor Hajj arrangements. Additionally, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who handles both the Minority and Parliamentary Affairs portfolios, visited Saudi Arabia from January 11 to 14.
During his visit, Rijiju attended the Hajj and Umrah Conference and Exhibition, signed the Bilateral Agreement for Hajj 2025, and held key bilateral discussions with Saudi officials on better organizing Hajj for Indian pilgrims.
This year’s Hajj pilgrimage is expected to be held from June 4 to June 9, 2025, depending on the sighting of the moon that marks the start of Zil-Hajj, the final month in the Islamic lunar calendar.
As the countdown begins, the Ministry of Minority Affairs is urging private operators to act swiftly and finalize all arrangements to avoid any further setbacks for the thousands of Indian Muslims preparing for the sacred journey.
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