Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, and hundreds of thousands usually make the trip to Saudi Arabia, where Islam's two holiest sites - Mecca and Medina - are located.

Saudi authorities had already said the Haj and Umrah pilgrimages would remain suspended until further notice. Even if the suspension was lifted, Indonesia would not have had enough time to prepare, local media reported. 

The average wait time for the Haj is 20 years due to a quota system. The quota for Indonesians this year was more than 200,000.

In a television address, Indonesia's religious affairs minister Fachrul Razi said: "The government has now decided to cancel the Hajj trip for 2020. This is truly a difficult decision for us to make and we know many people are upset."

Indonesia has seen more than 1,600 confirmed deaths from coronavirus.