India and United Arab Emirates , UAE signed agreements on security cooperation and transfer of sentenced persons in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The Indo-UAE Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons was signed by the UAE Interior Minister Lt. Gen. Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram.

The long-awaited agreement will give sentenced prisoners in the UAE and India an option to spend remaining part of their sentence in their home country.

The visiting minister also signed a bilateral agreement on security issues.

AIR correspondent reports the Indo-UAE Agreement on Security Cooperation will facilitate collaboration to fight international crimes including terrorism, money-laundering and cyber security by sharing intelligence information and training facilities.

At present about 1,200 Indians are lodged in various UAE prisons.

Most of them are behind bars either for financial irregularities or for violation of the UAE residency law.

Most of the prisoners would take this opportunity as it would allow them to remain close to their family and friends for the rest of their sentence period. However, the transfer of the prisoner will be subject of his approval and that the prisoner should have at least six months left to serve in his sentence.

The security cooperation agreement will cover sharing of information, training, technology and experts between the two countries. Both the countries have extradition treaty that witnessed deportation of number of criminals in the past.