"Will start accepting Haj applications for 2026 within a week": Union Minister Rijiju
Speaking to reporters, Rijiju outlined the preparations and new measures to facilitate a smooth pilgrimage process, emphasising digitalisation and adherence to deadlines set by the Saudi Arabian government.
'Within a week, we will start accepting Haj applications for 2026... I request people to fill out their applications on time so they do not face any problems in the future. The Saudi Arabian government has set many strict deadlines,' Rijiju stated.
He directed tour operators to strictly adhere to the timelines and instructed the Haj Committee of India to deposit payments to the Saudi government before the deadline, ensuring compliance with international requirements.
Rijiju also addressed several logistical and policy considerations for the upcoming Haj, noting separate accommodations for men and women during the pilgrimage and that a companion was mandatory for pilgrims above the age of 65 years.
'I strictly instruct the tour operators to adhere to the set timelines. I have directed the Haj Committee of India to deposit the payment to the Saudi Arabian government before the deadline... I have been given suggestions regarding the accommodations. We are considering the request for separate accommodations for men and women... A companion is mandatory to look after pilgrims above 65 years of age. We will also offer an option for a short Haj,' he added.
He also stated that the entire process will be digital and that food choices will also be tailored to regional preferences.
'The entire process will be digital... We will provide food choices state-wise so that pilgrims can eat food to their taste,' the Union Minister added.
Earlier today, during the Haj review meeting, Rijiju said, 'Haj 2025 was one of the most successful ever.'
'We will build on this success to ensure an even more seamless experience in 2026,' he affirmed.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Minority Affairs stated that the meeting reviewed the smooth conduct of Haj 2025 and initiated early preparations for Haj 2026.
'A record low number of deaths during this Haj was noted as a major achievement,' the post added.
Deliberations focused on improving inter-ministerial coordination, enhancing logistics and pilgrim support, learning from Haj 2025 to innovate for Haj 2026 and strengthening digital, health and on-ground infrastructure for Indian Haj pilgrims for the next year. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
Russia redraws India's oil map, but Middle East holds ground
Russia's increased oil supply to India has reshaped trade dynamics, impacting smaller suppliers while major Middle Eastern exporters like Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE remain largely stable. Discounted Russian crude primarily displaced costlier supplies from Africa and the Americas. As India potentially reduces Russian imports due to US pressure, sidelined suppliers may regain importance. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: Russia's surge in India's oil market has redrawn trade patterns but left the country's biggest suppliers - Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - largely unscathed, while squeezing out smaller players, trade data from Iraq and Saudi are down barely 5% since 2021, the year before the Ukraine war began, while those from the UAE are up 3%, according to energy cargo tracker contrast, imports from smaller or distant suppliers have been hit. Supplies from the US are down by a third, while those from Nigeria and Kuwait have halved. Shipments from Oman and Mexico have fallen more than 80%.In 2021, Russia supplied just about 100,000 barrels a day (b/d) of India's four million b/d imports, far behind Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the US, Nigeria, Kuwait and others, Vortexa data the war disrupted global trade routes, Russian crude began flooding into India. By 2022, it had become India's third-largest supplier behind Iraq and Saudi Arabia.A year later, Russia overtook both, supplying 1.76 million b/d - more than the combined shipments from Saudi and Iraq. In 2025, Russia continues to top the chart, averaging about 1.7 million b/ so, India's traditional Middle East suppliers have been resilient. In 2025, Iraq's supplies have averaged 898,000 b/d, Saudi Arabia's 640,000 b/d, and the UAE's 448,000 b/d. Compared with 2021, volumes from Iraq and Saudi are down barely 5%, while those from the UAE are up 3%.Russian oil, bought mostly on the spot market at a discount, mainly displaced costlier or more distant cargoes from Africa and the 2025, US supplies have averaged 271,000 b/d, Nigeria 151,000 b/d, Kuwait 131,000 b/d, Oman 20,000 b/d and Mexico 24,000 b/d. Flows from Colombia, Ecuador, Gabon and Congo have also say Indian refiners consider term contracts with major Middle East producers vital for energy security. These contracts were largely retained, with refiners trimming only optional suppliers, particularly Iraq, offered competitive terms to defend market share as Russian oil surged, they as India looks to partly scale back Russian purchases under mounting US pressure, those sidelined suppliers may regain relevance, executives said.
Economic Times
21 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Mamata Banerjee calls 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill a 'threat to Indian democracy'
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill, terming the proposed legislation, which seeks to remove any central or state minister who faces allegations of corruption or serious offences and has been detained for at least 30 days, a step towards 'more than a super-Emergency' and 'nothing short of a Hitlerian assault on the very soul of Indian democracy'.Union home minister Amit Shah introduced the bill in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday amid vociferous opposition protest.'I condemn it as a step towards something that is more than a super-Emergency, a step to end the democratic era of India forever. This draconian step comes as a death knell for democracy and federalism in India… To suppress the voting rights of the Indian citizens in the name of special intensive revision (of electoral rolls in Bihar), this is another super-draconian step by the Centre now,' Banerjee said in a post on said the intent of the bill is to consolidate a system of 'one man-one-party-one government'. 'What we are witnessing is unprecedented – the Bill is nothing short of a Hitlerian assault on the very soul of Indian democracy,' Banerjee said on X. 'The bill strikes at the basic structure of the Constitution – federalism, separation of powers, and judicial review – principles that even Parliament cannot override. If allowed to pass, it will be a death warrant for constitutional governance in India. We must resist this dangerous overreach.' The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) leader further said, 'The bill seeks to empower the Union to intrude upon the mandate of the people, handing sweeping powers to unelected authorities (ED, CBI - whom the Supreme Court has described as 'caged parrots') to interfere in the functioning of elected state governments. It is a step to empower the Prime Minister and the Union home minister in a sinister manner at the expense of the basic principles of our Constitution.'Banerjee alleged that the bill 'seeks to strip the judiciary of its constitutional role- to take away the power of courts to adjudicate on matters that lie at the very heart of justice and federal balance', and that by 'vesting such powers in partisan hands, the bill mutilates democracy'.Meanwhile, the AITC leader in the Lok Sabha Abhishek Banerjee said, 'We were very vocal about this bill in the House today. We were the only opposition party which went to the well to protest. The home minister had to bring in marshals and introduce the bill… The Union home minister had to sit in the fourth row of the Lok Sabha being guarded by 12-15 marshals. This speaks volumes of the BJP's '56-inch' or 'Vishwaguru' narrative.''They wanted to change the Constitution after coming to power,' he said, adding that the AITC will take up the matter of 'assault on the women MPs by BJP MPs in Parliament' with the Lok Sabha speaker.
News18
42 minutes ago
- News18
Afghanistan, China, Pakistan hold 6th meeting of foreign ministers in Kabul
Kabul [Afghanistan], August 20 (ANI): Afghanistan's foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi alon with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and Pakistan's Mohammad Ishaq Dar held the sixth meeting of the foreign ministers' dialogue in Kabul on the meeting, the foreign ministers reviewed the decisions made in previous meetings and discussed ways to strengthen relations between the three countries. In a post on X, the Afghan foreign ministry wrote, 'Today, the sixth meeting of the dialogue of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan was held in Kabul."'In this meeting, alongside reviewing the decisions of previous meetings, emphasis was placed on strengthening relations between the three countries in the political, economic, and transit sectors," the post in the day, the Afghan foreign minister held a bilateral meeting with Wang Yi. During the meeting, discussions were held on the expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in various Afghan foreign minister described the bilateral relations between Afghanistan and China as 'progressing and considered China a good trading partner for Afghanistan, with the annual trade exchange between the two countries reaching one billion dollars."In a post on X, the Afghan foreign ministry wrote, 'The trade volume between the two countries has risen to a significant level."'Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi presented his practical proposals regarding the expansion of economic cooperation between Afghanistan and China, particularly in the areas of transportation cooperation, banking relations, and balancing trade, and made a request," the post further described the relations between the two countries as 'progressing and considered the expansion of cooperation in various fields noteworthy." Wang Yi said that the relevant institutions of both countries are working to further increase Afghanistan's exports to China, according to the Afghan foreign ministry. (ANI)
