New Delhi, July 4 -- Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Friday announced that the Union Government will begin accepting applications for the Haj pilgrimage in 2026 within a week, urging pilgrims to ensure timely submissions of documents to avoid future complications ahead of the pilgrimage.

Speaking to reporters, Rijiju outlined the preparations and new measures to facilitate a smooth pilgrimage process, emphasising digitalisation and adherence to deadlines set by the Saudi Arabian government.

"Within a week, we will start accepting Haj applications for 2026... I request people to fill out their applications on time so they do not face any problems in the future. The Saudi Arabian government has set many strict deadlines...