[gallery size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" td_gallery_title_input="Indian pilgrims' Haj quota raised to 1,70,025" ids="112001,112003,112004"] JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia and India signed the Annual Bilateral Haj Agreement for Haj 2017 here on Wednesday. The Indian delegation was led by Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and the Saudi delegation was led by Minister of Haj and Umrah Mohammed Saleh Bantan. Naqvi expressed gratitude to the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah for increasing the quota of Indian Haj pilgrims from 1,36,020 to 1,70,025 for Haj 2017. During the discussion with the Saudi delegation, the Indian minister conveyed appreciation for the Haj arrangements for the Haj 2016 and assured full cooperation for the success of the Haj 2017. The meeting was attended by Ambassador of India Ahmad Javed, Consul General of India Md. Noor Rahman Sheikh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs Jan-e-Alam, Deputy Consul General and Consul(Haj) Mohd. Shahid Alam, and Deputy Secretary, MOMA, Aftab Alam. Member of Parliament and Chairman of Haj Committee of India (HCOI) Choudhary Mehboob Ali Kaiser; Chief Executive Officer, HCOI, Ataur Rahman; General Manager, Air India, Rajneesh Duggal; and a representative from Private Tour Operators were also present during the signing of the Bilateral Haj Agreement 2017.
