NEW DELHI, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- India says it's working on agreements with six countries that would allow Indian nationals serving prison terms to do the rest of their time in prisons at home.
About 6,540 Indians are inmates in 59 countries, the Hindustan Times reported. The country already has exchange agreements with Britain and the United States.
One top priority for the government is Saudi Arabia, where 1,369 Indian citizens are imprisoned. Another 1,221 are in prison in the United Arab Emirates.
India's government also hopes to sign pacts with Sri Lanka, Brazil and South Korea.
"India will soon sign agreements with Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and South Korea," an official with the Ministry of Home Affairs who did not want his name used told the Times.
The official said prisoners in the United States and Britain might not want to be returned to India because prison conditions tend to be worse in their home country. But he said the ministry gets a lot of requests for transfers from other countries.
