The delegation also visited the perimeter of the Prophet’s Mosque (Al Masjid Al Nabwi) in the Markazia area of Madinah and Jeddah’s UNESCO World Heritage Site
JEDDAH – As a part of the ongoing visit of the Indian Minister for Women and Child Welfare and Minority Affairs Smt. Smriti Irani to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a two day visit, during which the bilateral Haj agreement for the year 2024 was signed between India and Saudi Arabia on 7 January 2024. The Indian Union minister Mrs. Smriti Zubin Irani is accompanied by Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan, led a delegation of senior officials from Ministry of Minority Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs on a historic visit to Madinah, one of the holiest cities in Islam, on Monday, January 8.
The delegation visited the perimeter of the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid Al Nabwi) in the central (Markazia) area of the city in Madinah. This was followed by a visit to the mountain of Uhud and a visit to the Quba Mosque. Quba Mosque is the first mosque of Islam while Uhud Mountain is the final resting place of a number early Islamic martyrs. The delegation was accompanied by the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, the Consul General of India, Muhammad Shahid Alam and few officials of both the countries and the Indian consulate.
The delegation has also interacted with Indian volunteers who provide dedicated and selfless service to Indian Haj pilgrims, including during Haj 2023. The delegation also interacted with Umrah pilgrims from India.
According to an official press release which stated, “The visit shall help provide a first-hand insight into the arrangements required to be made for ensuring a comfortable Haj 2024 for the Indian pilgrims. The Government of India is deeply committed to assist in providing facilities and services to Indian Muslims who undertake the Haj pilgrimage, thereby providing them with a comfortable and fulfilling experience,”.
“India and Saudi Arabia share warm and cordial ties and the government of India deeply appreciates the special gesture of the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in facilitating this visit of the Indian delegation to Madinah. It would go a long way in providing better services to the Haj pilgrims,” it added.
Earlier the Minister has also interacted with the prominent Saudi Business men and women with few of the members from the Indian diaspora on 07 Jan in Hotel Ritz Carlton Jeddah. She engaged in a productive dialogue with distinguished business professionals, underscoring the significance of economic ties in our bilateral relations. The non-resident Indian community was invited to actively participate in the Atmanirbhara Bharat Yatra. She has also appreciated the role played by the Indian diaspora and expatriate friends in keeping bilateral relations warm between the two countries. The Minister of State for External Affairs also addressed the business meeting and explained the new changes in business in India under the good governance of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She had also visited yesterday morning along with the Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, Al-Balad, Jeddah’s historic area, which holds the essence of Saudi Arabia’s rich past. They even explored the captivating Al-Balad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site preserving the vibrant cultural heritage of Jeddah. The Indian Minister for Women and Child Welfare and Minority Affairs and Minister of State for External Affairs were accompanied by the Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, the Consul General of India, Muhammad Shahid Alam and some officials of both the countries.
