India and Saudi: Indian Union Minister for Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs, Smriti Irani, along with V Muraleedharan, the Minister of State for External Affairs, engaged in the signing ceremony of the Bilateral Haj Agreement 2024 with Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, held in Jeddah.
The comprehensive agreement details the allocation for the upcoming Haj pilgrimage in 2024, earmarking a total quota of over 175K pilgrims from India. Within this allocation, almost 140K seats are specifically designated for pilgrims intending to participate through the Haj Committee of India.
India and Saudi Sign
The significance of this agreement lies in its particular advantages for first-time pilgrims preparing to embark on the Haj pilgrimage in 2024. Additionally, an extra 35K pilgrims have the opportunity to proceed through Haj Group Operators.
During discussions with the Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Saudi Arabia expressed profound appreciation for the digital initiatives undertaken by the Indian government. These initiatives aim to augment the ease and convenience of Indian Haj pilgrims by providing crucial last-mile information, a sentiment lauded by Saudi Arabia.
The commitment of the Indian government towards encouraging participation under the Ladies without Mehram category was a key topic of discussion, drawing deep appreciation and praise.
This visit aimed to oversee the arrangements for Haj pilgrims and explore ways to enhance logistical and monitoring mechanisms for the utmost convenience of Indian Haj pilgrims.
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