Finn print: Terror on PM's EU agenda

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday arrived in Helsinki on a three-day visit during which he will attend the India-European Union summit.

He will also hold bilateral talks with Finnish counterpart Matti Vanahanen. Some agreements are expected to be inked during Singh's visit to Finland.

In the light of recent evidence that Pakistan-based terror outfits were behind the July 11 Mumbai blasts, Singh will highlight India's concerns about continued cross-border terrorism when he meets the leadership of the 25-nation EU.

New Delhi, which has been seeking a comprehensive and global fight against terrorism, will discuss with EU efforts to defeat the menace.

Mumbai Police last week said their probe into the serial train blasts had revealed the involvement of ISI and the Lashker-e-Taiba terror outfit based in Pakistan.

India has already shared evidence with regard to the blasts probe with Britain and the US.

Singh is also expected to seek support of the 25-nation EU for the Indo-US civil nuclear deal. The EU has so far failed to arrive at a common position on the issue, with many of its members backing the deal but some having reservations.

India has been discussing the issue individually with member countries, several of whom are in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) that is responsible for regulating international nuclear commerce.

Lobbying for the EU's support now will be significant as the 45-member NSG will meet in Vienna later this month and the Indo-US nuclear deal is expected to figure there.

The nuclear agreement is required to be endorsed through consensus by the NSG, which will have to change its guidelines to allow the international community to have civil nuclear cooperation with India.

At the last India-EU summit held in Delhi last year, the two sides had set up a Joint Action Plan for implementing the strategic partnership. India is among the six countries with which the EU has such a partnership.

The two sides had also set up a high level group to explore ways and means for deepening relations, particularly in economic and trade affairs.

The group has suggested that the two sides negotiate a trade and investment agreement and it is for the political leadership to decide on this.

India considers the EU a "very important economic partner" which accounts for one-fifth of its trade.