A GPS-enabled smartwatch made mandatory for Indian Hajj pilgrims this year has come under criticism after several pilgrims reported problems with the device, including charging issues, activation failures and difficulty in operating it.
The controversy began after a sudden airfare increase of around ₹10,000 per pilgrim in late April led many families to question the rising cost of the Hajj package. Among the expenses that drew attention was the deduction for the “Haj Suvidha Smartwatch”, introduced this year by the Haj Committee of India as a safety and tracking device for pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia.
More than 1.2 lakh Indian pilgrims were issued the smartwatch as part of their Haj kit.
Pilgrims Raise Concerns Over Device Performance
Several pilgrims who have already left for Hajj said the watches were either not switching on, losing battery quickly or not tracking users properly.
Usman Ansari, a pilgrim from Old Delhi, said many elderly and less tech-savvy pilgrims were struggling to use the device.
“They told us the watch would be activated in Saudi Arabia, but most people don’t know how to operate it. Around 70% were not able to use it properly,” he told TOI.
According to Haj Committee officials, the smartwatch was added to the standard departure kit this year along with passport stickers, luggage tags, ID cards and boarding passes.
The device was introduced as a safety measure because Hajj remains one of the world’s largest religious gatherings, where crowd management and preventing pilgrims from getting lost are major concerns. Between 1.7 million and 1.9 million pilgrims are expected to perform Hajj this year.
Hajj Committee Defends Smartwatch Initiative
The smartwatch was supplied by Sekyo Innovations, a Delhi-based company that procured the devices through a fast-tracked tender process.
Kausar Jahan, chairperson of the Delhi Hajj Committee, said the initial estimated price of the smartwatch was around ₹7,000 per piece, but the final cost was reduced to ₹5,110.
However, some reports claimed that around ₹4,332 was deducted from each pilgrim’s Hajj deposit specifically for the device.
Defending the smartwatch, Sekyo Innovations said the devices were fully tested and working properly.
“Since many pilgrims are elderly, less educated and not technically proficient, the watch is intentionally designed with restricted features during the Hajj season. They simply need to charge and wear it regularly,” the company said.
The company added that the watches provide one to two days of battery backup despite continuous health monitoring and live GPS tracking on international roaming.
Sekyo also said multilingual user manuals and support videos in Hindi and English were provided at all embarkation centres across India and Saudi Arabia.
Rising Hajj Costs Trigger Debate
The smartwatch issue has also intensified concerns about the increasing cost of Hajj for Indian pilgrims, with some packages reportedly crossing ₹4 lakh per person after the airfare hike.
Unlike India, other major Hajj-participating countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan reportedly continue to depend mainly on traditional group management systems and mobile phone coordination instead of mandatory GPS tracking devices.
The smartwatch initiative is considered the first large-scale wearable tracking programme introduced for Hajj pilgrims by any major country sending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
