April 15, 2025 - Saudi Arabia has agreed to re-open the Hajj portal to accommodate 10,000 more Indian pilgrims who are travelling through private tour operators for the Hajj pilgrimage this year. This information was shared by the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) today saying Saudi Arabia’s decision was taken after the Indian government intervened.

The MoMA said in a statement, " Thanks to the Government’s intervention, the Saudi Hajj Ministry has agreed to reopen the Hajj (Nusuk) Portal for Combined Hajj Group Operators (CHGOs) to accommodate 10,000 pilgrims, based on current availability in Mina. MoMA has issued urgent directions to CHGOs to complete their process without delay. India remains appreciative of any further gestures from Saudi authorities to accommodate more pilgrims.”

Readers may recall that recent news reports had said that Saudi Arabia would cancel certain zones in Mina that were earlier allotted to private tour operators for Hajj 2025. This left the fate of around 52,000 Indian pilgrims hanging in the balance after the MoMA announced that only 20 per cent of the private quota pilgrims would get initial confirmation.

According to MoMA, the Saudi Ministry had taken this step after the 26 Combined Haj Group Operators (CHGOs) had “failed to meet critical Saudi declines and could not finalise required contracts for Mina camps, accommodation, and transportation - despite repeated reminders.”

Saudi Arabia had allotted a quota of 1.75 lakh pilgrims to India for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage of which 70 per cent was handled by the Hajj Committee of India while the rest was given to the private Hajj group organisers.

With Media Inputs