SRINAGAR: More than 2.7 million Indians are currently living in Saudi Arabia, the Government of India has told Parliament, making the Kingdom one of the largest hubs of the Indian diaspora anywhere in the world. Of the total 2,747,551 Indian nationals residing there as of February 24, 2025, as many as 2,565,464 are employed, while 182,087 are family members. The government added that Saudi Arabia does not maintain state-wise or city-wise data, including for Jeddah.
The Ministry of External Affairs also placed before the Lok Sabha the number of Indians who travelled for Haj under the Haj Committee of India over the last five years. In 2021, 56,634 pilgrims proceeded for Haj. The number rose sharply after the pandemic, with 139,429 pilgrims in 2022 and 139,964 in 2023. In 2024, 122,422 Indian pilgrims travelled for Haj. State-wise data for 2025 was provided, but the ministry did not present a consolidated national total.
The government said that direct flights continue to operate between multiple Indian cities and Saudi Arabia under the bilateral Air Services Agreement, while travellers also have a wide choice of connecting flights to major Saudi cities, including Jeddah. It added that administrative reforms have been introduced to make Haj travel smoother, including the Haj Suvidha App, improved accommodation and travel arrangements, and enhanced medical facilities.
On labour mobility, the government said India has been working closely with Saudi Arabia. Two key agreements—the 2014 Labour Cooperation Agreement for Domestic Service Workers and the 2016 Labour Cooperation Agreement for General Category Workers—are in place to ensure legal recruitment channels, standard contracts and mechanisms to address grievances faced by Indian workers.
The ministry said these measures underline India’s continued efforts to support its large community in Saudi Arabia and to strengthen people-to-people connectivity between the two countries.
