Indians can now visit Saudi Arabia and perform Umrah on stopover, business and tourism visas as the Arab nation has announced a range of measures for citizens of the South Asian nation.
Tawfiq Al Rabiah, the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, is visiting New Delhi and aiming to streamline the pilgrimage.
On Tuesday he announced that Indians will get 48-hour processing and a 96-hour stopover visa which will allow them to perform Umrah and visit any city in the kingdom.
“The Umrah visa is valid for 90 days and allows the holders to reside and visit any Saudi city,” Mr Al Rabiah said.
India has a Muslim population of 200 million out of 1.3 billion inhabitants.
There has been a significant increase in the number of Umrah pilgrims from India, Mr Al Rabiah said.
More than 1.2 million people from India performed Umrah this year, a 74 per cent increase on last year, he said.
The two nations plan to improve the number of direct flights to accommodate the increasing number of Indian pilgrims, Mr Al Rabiah added.
More than 175,000 places were allotted for Muslims from the country to perform Hajj this year.
About 47 per cent of the pilgrims were women, including 4,000 women who performed Hajj without a male companion. Saudi Arabia has allowed women over 45 to perform the pilgrimage without a male guardian.
India is hoping to increase the existing quota to at least 200,000.
Saudi Arabia is aiming to streamline procedures, enhance services and outline comprehensive plans for hosting pilgrims and Umrah performers under the Saudi Vision 2030, the Saudi Embassy in New Delhi said.
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Korean Film Festival 2019 line-up
Innocent Witness, June 26 at 7pm
On Your Wedding Day, June 27 at 7pm
The Great Battle, June 27 at 9pm
The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, June 28 at 4pm
Romang, June 28 at 6pm
Mal Mo E: The Secret Mission, June 28 at 8pm
Underdog, June 29 at 2pm
Nearby Sky, June 29 at 4pm
A Resistance, June 29 at 6pm
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
