As many as 6656 Indians are lodged in various jails in 43 countries, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.
Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said the government provided whatever help was possible to these prisoners and Indian missions in Gulf region provided legal assistance to prisoners.
In reply to a query, Ahamed said presently 239 Indians were lodged in British jails.
Out of them, 55 have been booked for violence against persons, 33 for fraud and forgery and seven for drug offences, he said.
The crimes under which they were booked also included sexual offence, robbery and burglary and violation of traffic rules, he said.
The Minister said government had no information regarding discrimination against Indian prisoners in British jails.
He said the UK government has been approached for details of Indians kept in open jails.