Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday left New Delhi for a nine-day trip to Britain and the US.

"We will make our case for India's candidature as permanent member of the UN Security Council, which is gaining increasing international support," the PM, who will address the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23, said in his departure statement.

Observing that this year's session is taking place against the background of diverse threats facing the world, he said, "Enhancing UN's capacities to meet these challenges is a priority. Central to this process is reforms of the UN and restructuring of the Security Council."

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, his Cabinet colleagues, the three service chiefs and other officials saw him off.

The PM said that during his meeting with US President George W

Bush in New York, he would "convey that the government is determined to carry forward the process of economic reforms, which will increase opportunities for greater economic interaction".

"Both our countries are determined to endow our vital relationship with greater content, particularly in economic and high technology fields," he said.

At the meeting on September 21, the two countries will discuss "international issues of mutual concerns and build on the vast commonalities in our approaches", Singh said.

The PM will meet Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on September 24. "This will be a further step in the ongoing dialogue process with Pakistan," he said.

He will also meet heads of state of Japan, Afghanistan, Germany and Brazil.

Regarding his meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London, Singh said, "It will further consolidate a strong and historical relationship. The firm determination of both our countries to carry forward our relations will be reflected in a joint declaration on the conclusion of our talks."

The PM will convey to the captains of British industry that "they should partake more actively in the increasing business opportunities now on horizon in India".

External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, National Security Adviser J N Dixit, the PM's Principal Secretary, T K A Nair, are among those accompanying Singh.

At the UN, the PM will raise India's concerns on terrorism.

New Delhi feels that the US and some other key countries have taken a soft line when concerns were voiced over cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. Singh will call for collective action to combat terrorism.

This is Singh's first visit outside Asia after becoming PM in May.

He visited Bangkok in July for the BIMST-EC Summit.