UAE ratifies prisoner exchange deal with India

United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has ratified a deal that allows the transfer of prisoners between his country and India.

The decree endorses an agreement on the transfer of sentenced prisoners signed by the two sides in November 2011, The National daily reported Monday.

"The agreement comes from the desire of the UAE government and the government of the republic of India to facilitate the social rehabilitation of persons convicted in their countries," the report quoted the decree as stating.

New Delhi believes there are 1,200 Indian prisoners in jails in the UAE for crimes like murder, drugs and drinking and selling alcohol.

The agreement was signed to allow the prisoners to serve the rest of their sentences among their own communities.

"We have been keenly waiting for the ratification and the process will now start where we will work out the procedure of how to transfer the prisoners in a mutually agreed format," said a spokesperson of the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi.