Saudi-India Umrah Alliance Strengthened in Delhi Ministerial Visit

• Saudi Minister Al-Rabiah’s India visit focuses on strengthening Umrah services.
• Collaboration discussions for the Hajj and Umrah sectors with Indian officials.
• Inaugural exhibition for Nusuk platform and e-visa center to streamline Umrah.

Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, is set to commence an official visit to India on Monday, with the primary objective of fortifying collaboration and streamlining the Umrah journey for global pilgrims, as announced by the Saudi Embassy in New Delhi.

India, home to the world’s largest Muslim-minority population, boasts over 200 million followers of Islam in this predominantly Hindu-majority nation.

The visit by Minister Al-Rabiah to India this week marks a crucial segment of a series of international tours designed to underscore the Kingdom’s unwavering commitment to serving Umrah pilgrims from across the globe, as stated by the Saudi Embassy in India.

“The visit aims to achieve significant advancements in streamlining procedures, enhancing services, and outlining comprehensive plans for hosting pilgrims and Umrah performers, aligning closely with the outlined objectives of ‘Saudi Vision 2030,’” it said.

Al-Rabiah is scheduled to engage in high-level talks with Indian authorities and key figures in the Hajj and Umrah services sector to enhance coordination and foster collaboration, as outlined by the embassy.

“To further streamline processes for Indian Umrah (pilgrims), an inaugural exhibition for the Nusuk platform and the Tasheer e-visa-issuing center will be organized during the visit,” it said.

“These international visits reflect the ministry’s and its partners’ continuous efforts in the Hajj ecosystem to establish robust communication channels and foster cooperation with countries worldwide.”

During Al-Rabiah’s visit, the Haj Committee of India aims to explore discussions on the potential increase of India’s Hajj pilgrimage quota.

“This visit is important and he is a very significant person,” Munawari Begum, the vice president of the Haj Committee of India, told Arab News.

In adherence to the 2023 Hajj quota, approximately 175,000 individuals from India embarked on the sacred pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, an integral practice among the five pillars of Islam.

“One of the agendas of the visit is to discuss the enhancement of the Hajj quota from the existing 175,025 to 200,000 at least,” Begum added.

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