Stockholm - Sweden is prepared to deploy a plane to evacuate European Union nationals injured in terrorist attacks in the Indian financial centre of Mumbai if necessary, the cabinet said Thursday.

The government was approached earlier Thursday by the European Union.

"This is a joint responsibility in a situation where it it not clear how many have been injured, or how seriously," Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors told Swedish radio news.

The plane is a Boeing 737 normally operated by carrier SAS that can be reconfigured within nine hours. It can transport some 30 injured passengers including six seriously injured. dpa