Over 6,500 Indians languishing in foreign jails, says govt

New Delhi, Jul 20: Over 6,500 Indians are at present languishing in jails in 75 countries with maximum of 1,896 being lodged in Saudi Arabia.

Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh in a written reply in Lok Sabha, said a total of 6,567 Indian citizens are in foreign jails and 354 of them are awaitingrepatriation after having completed their sentence.

He said India has signed bilateral agreements for transfer of sentenced persons with 42 countries under which Indian prisoners have been brought back to India from some of these countries.

Mr Singh said a maximum of 1,896 Indians are lodged in jails in Saudi Arabia, followed by 764 in the United Arab Emirates, 614 in Nepal, 595 in the US and 518 in Pakistan.

As per figures provided by the minister, a total of 325 Indians are languishing in jails in Kuwait, 293 in Malaysia, 235 in Bahrain and 147 in Singapore.

The number of Indians lodged in jails in China is 105 while 130 people are languishing in prisons in Bangladesh.

Indians are also lodged in jails in various other countries, including Australia, Cyprus, Egypt, Japan, Jordan, Denmark, France, Greece, Lebanon and Mauritius.

Replying to a separate question in Lok Sabha, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said at present, 261 people, believed to be Indian fishermen, are in Pakistan jails.

To another question, Mr Singh said the Pathankot attack has brought to fore "new challenges" and that the government was in touch with Pakistan in this regard.

He said Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar during his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry in New Delhi in April had clearly conveyed that Pakistan cannot be in denial on terrorism against India emanating from territory of that country.

Mr Singh said Mr Jaishankar had also suggested review the progress of investigation into the Pathankot attack.