Colombo, Feb 28 (IANS): Sri Lanka has begun transferring Indians serving prison terms back to India under a bilateral agreement, the Indian High Commission said Thursday.
The high commission said two Indians were transferred this week under the India-Sri Lanka bilateral Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons.
Another 18 Indian prisoners would move to India within a week under the agreement, the mission said.
In all, there are 31 sentenced Indian nationals undergoing prison terms in Sri Lanka, eligible for transfer to India under the agreement.
The high commission said that formalities with regard to the release of the remaining 11 prisoners were also underway.
The India-Sri Lanka agreement was signed two years ago.
The agreement provides for the conditions under which such transfers can take place and the various obligations of the transferring and receiving states.