More pilgrims will be able to perform Haj this year: Saudi envoy

New Delhi, Sep 24 (ANI): Saudi Arabian Ambassador to India Faisal Bin Hassan Ahmad Trad has said that more pilgrims from India will be able to undertake the Haj pilgrimage than last year.

Talking to reporters here on Thursday, Faisal said: "Whatever our Indian friends come to us and say this is our population, they will get it. In fact this year there was an increase, it is 170,000 so it is indeed an increase than last year and I can assure you that Haj already started the issuing the visa and I think we have made almost around 70,000-80,000 visas is already done we are very much on schedule or even before that."

He also mentioned that bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia have started on a new note and would continue to blossom.

"I think that a new era of strategic partnership have (has) started between Saudi Arabia and India and it is there to continue," he said.

Undertaking the Haj is an obligation for Muslims around the World. They are told to perform it at least once during their lifetime.

Some three million Muslim pilgrims take part in the Haj in Mecca every year, including up to two million from abroad. (ANI)