Colombo, Aug 19 (IANS): Sri Lanka Monday transferred 29 Indian prisoners to India under a bilateral agreement between the two countries, the Indian high commission in Colombo said.

The high commission stated that 31 prisoners under detention in Sri Lanka were found eligible for transfer to India in accordance with the bilateral agreement on the transfer of sentenced prisoners between India and Sri Lanka signed in June 2010, reported Xinhua.

"As stipulated in the agreement, to facilitate the social rehabilitation of sentenced prisoners in their own country, cases of these prisoners were duly processed by the government of Sri Lanka and forwarded to the government of India for completion of formalities.

"The high commissioner acknowledged the assistance rendered by all concerned departments of the government of Sri Lanka and expressed hope for continued cooperation in this area," the high commission said.

The announcement of the prisoners' transfer came as Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister G.L Peiris was in India to formally invite Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka in November.