Lok Sabha Question No. 1033 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-05
Subject: People-to-People Connectivity between India and Saudi Arabia
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Mr Pathan Yusuf

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 1033 ANSWERED ON- 05/12/2025

## PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN INDIA AND SAUDI ARABIA

## 1033. MR. PATHAN YUSUF

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state :(a) the number of Indian diaspora in Saudi Arabia, especially in Jeddah city, State-wise; (b) the number of Indians employed in Saudi Arabia, particularly in Jeddah, State-wise; (c) the number of Indians who have visited Jeddah on pilgrimage during the last five years, State-wise; and (d) whether the Government has taken any steps, in consultation with Saudi Arabia, to improve connectivity and facilitate employment and pilgrimage between Indian metropolitan cities like Kolkata and Saudi

Arabian cities like Jeddah, if so, the details thereof and if not, the

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a & b) As per information provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the number of Indian nationals residing in Saudi Arabia, as on 24.02.2025, was 2,747,551, including 2,565,464 working and 182,087 family members. State-wise data is not available.

Government has no city-wise data on the number of Indians working or living in Saudi Arabia.

(c) State-wise distribution of Haj pilgrims under the Haj Committee of India during the last five years is at Annexure-I. Data related to statewise distribution of Haj pilgrims under the Haj Group Operator route is not   available.   Data   on   Umrah   pilgrims   is   not   available   with   the Government, as it is not released by the Saudi authorities.

(d) Under the framework of bilateral Air Services Agreement between

India and Saudi Arabia, there are direct flights connecting between multiple cities in both India and Saudi Arabia. Travellers from India can also access all the major cities of Saudi Arabia, including Jeddah, through connecting flights, of which a large number of options are available. Specifically   on   Haj   facilitation,   the   Government   of   India   has implemented significant administrative reforms to prioritize pilgrim comfort and safety. Some recent initiatives include introduction of Haj Suvidha App, improved travel and accommodation arrangements, and enhanced medical facilities. On labour cooperation, the Government of India has been actively engaging with Saudi Arabia. As part of bilateral engagement, India and Saudi Arabia has signed the Agreement on Labour Cooperation for Domestic   Service   Workers   (DSW)   Recruitment   in   2014   and   the Agreement   on   Labour   Cooperation   for   General   Category   Workers' Recruitment in 2016. These agreements ensure recruitment through legal   pathways   with   standard   contracts,   regulate   recruitment

channels   and   also   provide   bilateral   mechanisms   for   resolution   of issues faced by the Indian workers.

## State-wise Details of Haj pilgrims under the Haj Committee of India

|        | Name of States/        | Haj 2021                      | Haj 2022          | Haj 2023          | Haj 2024          | Haj 2025          |
|--------|------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| Sl. No | Union Territory        | Pilgrim proceeded             | Pilgrim proceeded | Pilgrim proceeded | Pilgrim proceeded | Pilgrim proceeded |
| 1      | Andaman & Nicobar (UT) | Haj Cancelled due to COVID-19 | 102               | 148               | 128               | 112               |
| 2      | Andhra Pradesh         | Haj Cancelled due to COVID-19 | 1,151             | 2,062             | 2,499             | 1,607             |
| 3      | Assam                  | Haj Cancelled due to COVID-19 | 3,216             | 6,062             | 3,682             | 2,517             |
| 4      | Bihar                  | Haj Cancelled due to COVID-19 | 1,889             | 5,255             | 3,508             | 2,376             |
| 5      | Chandigarh (UT)        | Haj Cancelled due to COVID-19 | 17                | 35                | 40                | 33                |
| 6      | Chattisgarh            | Haj Cancelled due to COVID-19 | 380               | 691               | 735               | 655               |

## Annexure-  I

|   7 | Dadra nagar Haveli (UT)   |   17 | 67     | 23     | 44     |
|-----|---------------------------|------|--------|--------|--------|
|   8 | Daman & Diu (UT)          |   17 | 27     | 29     | 18     |
|   9 | Delhi (NCT)               |   17 | 2,675  | 3,201  | 2,856  |
|  10 | Goa                       |   17 | 117    | 162    | 79     |
|  11 | Gujarat                   |   17 | 9,878  | 14,269 | 16,986 |
|  12 | Haryana                   |   17 | 1,792  | 1,343  | 1,182  |
|  13 | Himachal Pradesh          |   17 | 66     | 79     | 48     |
|  14 | Jammu & Kashmir           |   17 | 12,042 | 6,981  | 3,582  |
|  15 | Jharkhand                 |   17 | 2,740  | 1,716  | 1,298  |
|  16 | Karnataka                 |   17 | 7,120  | 10,761 | 8,633  |
|  17 | Kerala                    |   17 |        |        |        |

|    |                 | 5,663   | 11,220   | 17,884   | 15,953   |
|----|-----------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|
| 18 | Lakshadeep (UT) | 142     | 163      | 92       | 111      |
| 19 | Madhya Pradesh  | 2,119   | 6,370    | 7,200    | 7,963    |
| 20 | Maharashtra     | 5,793   | 16,055   | 20,888   | 18,808   |
| 21 | Manipur         | 293     | 368      | 402      | 456      |
| 22 | Odisha          | 379     | 883      | 521      | 384      |
| 23 | Puducherry (UT) | 43      | 83       | 78       | 90       |
| 24 | Punjab          | 190     | 288      | 246      | 308      |
| 25 | Rajasthan       | 2,240   | 5,867    | 3,935    | 3,375    |
| 26 | Tamil Nadu      | 1,659   | 4,022    | 5,773    | 5,719    |
| 27 | Tripura         | 100     | 163      | 108      | 42       |

| 28   | Uttar Pradesh   | 7,405   | 24,840   | 17,790   | 13,594   |
|------|-----------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|
| 29   | Uttrakhand      | 556     | 1,525    | 1,039    | 909      |
| 30   | West Bengal     | 5,181   | 10,435   | 5,567    | 4,942    |
| 31   | Telangana       | 2,136   | 5,594    | 8,308    | 6,713    |
| 32   | UT Ladakh       | 202     | 452      | 336      | 238      |
| 34   | GQ + HC         | 424     |          |          |          |
| 36   | KH              | 366     | 324      | 641      | 791      |
|      | Total           | 56,634  | 139,429  | 139,964  | 122,422  |

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