Hajj 2025 alert: 80% cut in India's private slots — What it means for you [Read Now]

In a recent development that has sparked concern among the Muslim community in India, the government of Saudi Arabia has significantly reduced the private Hajj quota for India by a staggering 80 percent. This decision has implications not only for the Muslims who undertake the holy pilgrimage each year but also for the private tour and travel operators who facilitate these journeys, especially so close to the season.

Dr Farooq Abdullah, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and President of the ruling National Conference, has appealed to Prime Minister  to intervene in the matter. He urged the Prime Minister to leverage his personal rapport with the Saudi rulers to restore the private Hajj quota.

"We (India) have very good relations with Saudi Arabia. The Prime Minister is a friend of the Saudi rulers. If they cannot increase the private Hajj quota, let them restore what we already had," Dr Abdullah stated.

The Hajj pilgrimage is a significant religious duty for Muslims, and many save their entire lives to afford this journey. The private Hajj quota allows well-to-do families to undertake the pilgrimage using the services of private tour and travel operators. These operators receive a quota of pilgrims each year that they can send to Saudi Arabia, over and above the Hajj quota officially allotted to India by the Saudi government.

Implications of the quota reduction

The abrupt reduction in the private  has caused distress among pilgrims and tour operators across the country. Former Chief Minister and President of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mehbooba Mufti, also expressed her concern over the development. She urged the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene and discuss the matter with the Saudi government to seek a resolution.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has withdrawn the Mina zones previously assigned to private tour operators, officially known as Combined Haj Group Organisers (CHGOs). This sudden move has affected 26 CHGOs from India, who were set to take around 52,000 pilgrims. These organisers had planned and booked accommodations based on the zones promised to the pilgrims. With Hajj scheduled for the first week of June, this unexpected decision has raised major concerns for people who wish to go on this pilgrimage.

Not an isolated incident

The reduction in the private  quota is not an isolated incident. In recent years, several countries have faced similar challenges. For instance, in Indonesia, the waiting list for Hajj is over 25 years due to the limited capacity of key sites in Saudi Arabia's holy cities. The Indonesian government has refrained from lobbying for an increase in the quota due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The Hajj pilgrimage is a significant event in the Islamic calendar, involving several rituals, including performing tawaf, circumambulating the Kaaba in Mecca counterclockwise seven times, and tracing the path of Hagar, the wife of Prophet Ibrahim. The pilgrimage culminates in the celebration of Eid al-Adha, marking Prophet Ibrahim's test of faith and his willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of submission to God.