Contingency Plans for 2026 Hajj Pilgrimage Prepared Amid Middle East Conflict

JAKARTA — The government is preparing multiple contingency scenarios to anticipate the impact of escalating conflict in the Middle East region on the conduct of this year’s hajj pilgrimage. The primary focus is ensuring the safety of Indonesian pilgrims.

Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, following attendance at the Commemoration of Nuzulul Quran at the State Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, 10 March 2026, explained that President Prabowo Subianto’s directive was to prepare for various possibilities should security conditions in the region change.

“The President’s message is clear — his focus is to ensure the safety of hajj pilgrims; that is what matters most,” he said.

One contingency scenario being prepared involves adjusting flight routes to Saudi Arabia should the usual routes be deemed unsafe. Such route modifications, according to Dahnil, will be coordinated with aviation authorities and several countries whose airspace would be transited, including the possibility of routing through southern corridors or Africa.

Additionally, the government is considering a scenario of postponing departures should conflict escalation be assessed as potentially endangering pilgrim safety. This scenario, he noted, was previously implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic when the hajj pilgrimage had to be delayed for safety reasons.

“Like with COVID previously, if circumstances subsequently endanger pilgrims — for instance, threaten their safety — then the scenario for postponement could emerge should the safety of our citizens be threatened,” he said.

He stated that the government is currently monitoring developments in the Middle East region before making a final decision regarding the hajj pilgrimage. That decision will subsequently be discussed with parliament and relevant ministries and institutions.