Australia has sent 157 Sri Lankan asylum seekers, to a detention centre on the Pacific island of Nauru after they declined an offer to speak with Indian officials about their refugee claims, the government said on Saturday.

As part of its hardline immigration policy designed to deter migrants attempting to enter Australia by boat, the government had struck a deal with India for it to take back any of its nationals among the group who set sail from Pondicherry in June seeking asylum.

Later Australian government reported that a majority of the arrested asylum seekers were not Sri Lankan but Indians.

The Australian government granted a rare opportunity with the government of India for many of the 157 people who were on that voyage from India, including up to 50 children, to go back to India.

Australian Immigration Minister said that all 157, including 50 children, had refused to meet with the Indian consular officials this week and had been transferred to the island of Nauru where they will be processed and either resettled or returned to Sri Lanka. (With inputs from Reuters)