grouping can decide on cooperating with it in civil nuclear energy.

EU Commissioner for External Relations Beneta Ferrero-Waldner told

reporters here that EU was ready to discuss these steps with India as it understands its need for civil nuclear energy because of its rapidly growing requirements.

"We acknowledge India's energy needs and are committed to support its energy components, of which civil nuclear energy is an important part," she said after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Ferrero-Waldner, who arrived here Friday on a five-day visit, however, said the EU can venture into this only within the non-proliferation regime's framework.

"A few steps are still needed before such a cooperation is made possible. We hope India will take these steps towards international non-proliferation mechanism and mainstream, and then swiftly conclude safeguards agreement with the IAEA," she said.

Refusing to go into specific details, she said the steps expected to be

taken include those which help India enter the NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty), CTBT (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty) and FMCT (Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty).

Making it clear that these were "not conditions", she said EU is ready to discuss these issues with India with an "open mind" to see "how far we go and how far India can go. We have to see how far we can engage."