Hajj Becomes Unaffordable in Indian-Administered Kashmir Amid Deepening Economic Crisis
Applications for 2025 pilgrimage plummet to historic low as joblessness and poverty surge post-autonomy revocation.
By Abdullahi Yusuf
For the first time in decades, fewer than 5,000 residents from Indian-administered Kashmir have applied to undertake the annual Hajj pilgrimage, marking a dramatic 48% drop from last year and highlighting the region’s escalating economic turmoil.
Only 4,100 people from Jammu and Kashmir applied for the 2025 Hajj — a stark fall from over 8,100 in 2024 and a massive decline from the 35,000 applications recorded in 2017. Officials say the number is the lowest on record.
The economic distress behind the drop is being linked to the aftermath of a major political move by the Indian government in 2019 — the revocation of Article 370, a constitutional clause that granted Kashmir a degree of autonomy.
At the time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised it would unlock new economic potential and usher in a “New Kashmir.” Six years on, residents say those promises have not materialized.
The costs of undertaking Hajj have surged far beyond what many in Kashmir can now afford.
A roundtrip from Srinagar costs around 420,000 Indian rupees (about $5,000), with airfare alone at 170,000 rupees ($2,000) — far higher than the $1,290 airfare from India’s capital, New Delhi.
Though applicants are allowed to select cheaper departure cities, many say even those options are unaffordable.
Over 700 applicants withdrew after being selected this year — further underlining how economic hardship is forcing Kashmiris to give up even lifelong religious aspirations.
The downward trend was seen across nearly all districts in the region. Srinagar, the capital city, saw a 64% drop. Budgam declined 62%, Anantnag and Bandipora more than 50%, and Baramulla 44%. Only Doda, a district in the neighbouring Jammu region, recorded a marginal rise of about 9%.
Beyond pilgrimage statistics, broader economic indicators paint a grim picture. According to government data, the per capita income growth in the region slowed sharply after 2019. From 2015 to 2019, Kashmir’s Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) per capita grew by 12.31%. But between 2019 and 2024 — the post-Article 370 years — growth slumped to just 8.41%.
Despite government promises to create 500,000 jobs in the region, unemployment remains among the highest in India. Between April 2023 and March 2024, the region’s unemployment rate stood at 10.7%, significantly higher than the national average of 6.7%.
Among young people, the situation is even worse: youth unemployment stands at 18.3%, while urban female unemployment for the 15–29 age group hit a staggering 52.7% in late 2024 — the highest in India.
In contrast, national averages were 16.1% for young men and 21.4% for young women, according to the National Statistical Office.
Many highly qualified Kashmiris — including those with doctorates, business degrees, and engineering qualifications — have been unable to find suitable employment. Instead, they’re turning to low-paying gig work, informal jobs, or even roadside vending.
A recent investigation by Indian news outlet Article 14 found that Kashmir ranks highest in India for joblessness among both urban youth and women.
Private investment, which was expected to flow into the region following the 2019 political overhaul, has failed to materialize. In the 2021–2022 financial year, private investment in Jammu and Kashmir amounted to just $46 million — a drop from $50.5 million the previous year, and less than half the $102.8 million recorded in 2017–2018.
As economic disillusionment grows, the drastic fall in Hajj applications is now being seen by many as a symbolic indicator of the broader malaise in the region — a sign not just of rising costs, but of fading hope.
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