Saudi Arabia reopens Haj portal for Indian pilgrims after government intervention
New Delhi, April 16, 2025: In a significant development for Indian Hajj pilgrims, the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) on Tuesday announced that the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has agreed to reopen the Haj (Nusuk) Portal for Combined Haj Group Operators (CHGOs). This will allow up to 10,000 pilgrims to proceed for Hajj 2025, based on the current availability of space in Mina.
The decision follows the Indian government’s urgent intervention after reports emerged that thousands of Indian pilgrims risked being excluded from this year’s Hajj pilgrimage. According to a press release from the Ministry of Minority Affairs, urgent instructions have been issued to the CHGOs to complete the necessary formalities without delay to secure arrangements for their respective pilgrims.
Earlier this month, it was reported that nearly 52,000 Indian pilgrims were left in limbo after the Saudi authorities cancelled several zones in Mina previously allocated to private tour operators. These zones are crucial as Mina, the tent city, is one of the key ritual sites during the five-day pilgrimage.
The Ministry said that a quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims has been allotted to India by Saudi Arabia for the 2025 Hajj season. According to the Hajj Policy for 2025, 70 per cent of this quota is managed by the Hajj Committee of India, while the remaining 30 per cent is distributed among private tour operators, including the CHGOs.
However, 26 CHGOs who were allotted the remaining quota failed to meet key deadlines set by Saudi authorities. They reportedly did not finalise contracts for essential arrangements such as Mina camps, accommodation in Makkah and Madinah, and transportation, despite repeated reminders from the Indian government.
Following these lapses, Secretary of the Ministry of Minority Affairs Chandra Shekhar Kumar, accompanied by Joint Secretary CPS Bakshi, visited Jeddah last week to assess the preparations for Indian pilgrims on the ground. Their meetings with Saudi officials reportedly played a critical role in persuading the Saudi Hajj Ministry to reopen the portal.
The Indian government’s involvement also included an earlier visit by Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, who travelled to Saudi Arabia from January 11 to January 14, 2025. During his visit, Rijiju signed the bilateral agreement for Hajj 2025 and attended the opening session of the Hajj and Umrah Conference and Exhibition. He also held discussions with senior Saudi officials on streamlining arrangements and ensuring the welfare of Indian pilgrims.
This latest move has come as a major relief for thousands of pilgrims whose travel plans were under threat due to administrative delays and coordination issues.
Hajj 2025 is expected to take place between June 4 and June 9, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Zil-Hajj. With the reopening of the Haj portal, officials hope the remaining CHGOs will act swiftly to secure the necessary arrangements and ensure a smooth pilgrimage experience for the affected pilgrims.
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England sticking with Key, McCullum and Stokes despite Ashes humbling
London (AP): England is not sacking anybody following the 4-1 Ashes loss in Australia.
A review of the tour by the England and Wales Cricket Board, announced within hours of the final match in January, was concluded on Monday. Firing people would “be the easy thing to do,” ECB chief executive Richard Gould said but he insisted, "This is not the time to throw everything out."
Managing director Rob Key, coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes kept their jobs after the best England side to go to Australia in 14 years lost the Ashes in 11 days with two games to spare.
“Moving people on can sometimes be the easy thing to do. That's not the route that we're going to take,” Gould said. “I've seen the driving ambition and determination that we're lucky enough to have within our leadership group to take the lessons from the Ashes and move forward.”
Gould previously was the chief executive of Bristol City soccer club and said the ECB would not follow the same route as soccer's hire-and-fire culture.
“Cricket is a very unique sport in that it takes a team of leadership ... it's not like football where there's a single point of failure or success with a manager," he said. He added the ECB would not “select or deselect management based on a popularity campaign.”
The main criticisms of England's tour were poor preparation, player misbehavior, and selection mistakes.
At a press conference at Lord's, Gould and Key said McCullum and Stokes have not had a “bust up,” they did not want McCullum to “completely change” but “to evolve,” the behavior of some players was “unprofessional,” there will be more consequences for underperforming, and a commitment to “better long-term planning” ahead of major test series.
Some changes were already implemented for the Twenty20 World Cup, where England reached the semifinals. Gould implied that performance saved McCullum.
Key acknowledged that England supporters would be disappointed to see the management team go unpunished.
“I know people want punishment and that people then should be sacked for that,” Key said. “That doesn't mean we don't feel like we've gone through some serious pain: Brendon, myself, Ben. It's been as tough a time as I think I've had.”
