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 reasons therefor?
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 state-wise 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.
*****