Jeddah, Jun 5 (PTI) Thousands of Indian pilgrims on Thursday joined millions of Muslims from across the world to perform the annual Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, amid tight security to ensure the safety of pilgrims.

India has a total Haj quota of 1.75 lakh pilgrims for 2025.

“Indian pilgrims join millions of other pilgrims today at Arafat to perform Wuquf-e-Arafat, the core ritual of Haj,” the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia posted on X.

In a video message posted on X, the Consul General of India in Jeddah, Fahad Ahmed Khan Suri, said comprehensive arrangements have been made by the Indian Haj mission in coordination with concerned Saudi authorities and agencies for the safe and smooth movement of pilgrims.

Suri extended sincere gratitude to Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and all concerned agencies and all service providers “for their tireless efforts in facilitating a safe and spiritually fulfilling Haj”.

Haj pilgrimage is an important aspect of bilateral relations and strong people-to-people ties between India and Saudi Arabia.

Once a year, at the beginning of the last month of the Islamic calendar, Muslim pilgrims from around the world dressed in white converge in Mecca – Islam’s holiest city – to Haj – one of the five pillars of Islam. PTI RD ZH RD RD