Will Smriti Irani’s Medina visit lead to an end of religious segregation in holy city?
Smrit Irani’s Medina visit is a landmark moment when it comes to faith-based apartheid that surrounds access to Saudi Arabia’s holy cities
Union minority affairs minister Smriti Irani, on January 8, led a rare non-Muslim Indian delegation, also comprising minister of state for external affairs V. Muraleedharan, to a historic visit of the holy city of Madinah in Saudi Arabia.
India and Saudi Arabia enjoy cordial relations, reflective of their centuries-old economic and socio-cultural engagement. The relationship has witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years, including trade and other investments.
Saudi Arabia is India’s fourth-largest trading partner and meets over 18 per cent of India’s crude oil needs. During FY22 (April to December), bilateral trade was valued at $29.28 billion (Rs 2.43 lakh crore). During the period, India’s imports from Saudi Arabia were worth $22.65 billion (Rs 1.88 lakh crore) and exports to the tune of $6.63 billion (Rs 55,038 crore).
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud had attended last September’s G20 Summit in New Delhi where he, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US president Joe Biden, announced the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, a massive infrastructure project that promises to connect India to Europe via West Asia. The move is seen as an answer to China’s Belt and Road Initiative involving Pakistan.
Irani and Nirupama Kotru, joint secretary in the minority affairs ministry, were the two non-Muslim Indian women without headgear to be present in Madinah. The visit came after Irani signing the Bilateral Haj Agreement 2024 with Saudi minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah on January 7. India has been granted a quota of 175,025 pilgrims for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
Observers believe this exceptional gesture by Saudi Arabia of welcoming a non-Muslim delegation to Madinah underscores the country’s bilateral relations with India. On January 8, the Indian delegation visited the periphery of the revered Prophet’s Mosque (Al-Masjid an-Nabawi) in the Markazia area of Madinah, followed by a pilgrimage of the historic Uhud Mountain and the Quba Mosque, the first mosque in Islam. Foreign non-Muslim delegations are known to be rarely taken to the Prophet’s Mosque.
While India and Saudi Arabia continue to forge stronger ties, Irani’s historic visit is poised to contribute significantly to mutual understanding and cooperation in the realm of religious and cultural exchanges. The significance of the visit also lies in its potential to offer a first-hand insight into the intricate arrangements required for ensuring the comfort and wellbeing of Indian pilgrims during Haj 2024.
During her visit, Irani also held discussions with the Indian Diaspora, comprising dedicated Haj volunteers and community members. She engaged in dialogue with Saudi and Indian business professionals, emphasising the crucial role of economic ties in fostering strong bilateral relations. The minister also visited Jeddah’s historical district of Al-Balad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
(This story has not been edited by News Mania staff and is published from a Media Release)
