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Keir Starmer has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," but avoided supporting the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Welcome Development to the Globe"

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly in private discussions with the United States and mediators.

Speaking on the last day of his business trip to India, the British leader emphasized that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without postponement, and paired with the immediate lifting of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Addressed

However, when questioned if the Nobel committee should at this time grant Donald Trump the coveted prize, Starmer implied that more time was needed to know if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to move forward and implement this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has hailed a series of agreements finalized during his tour to the country – his first time there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The visit marks the passing of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has announced a slew of investments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister finalized a military agreement worth £350m for UK missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"The shared history is deep, the human connections between our citizens are exceptionally strong," Starmer remarked as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are remaking this partnership for our times."

Digital Identification System Studied

The Prime Minister has spent time in India studying the national digital identification program, including consulting principal architects who designed the widespread system utilized by more than 1 billion people for social services, payments, and identification.

The prime minister suggested that the UK was interested in broadening the application of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at connecting it to banking and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in huge numbers, not least because it means that you can access your own money, make payments so much more conveniently than is available with alternative methods," he explained.

"The speed with which it enables residents here to utilize facilities, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our talks yesterday, and in fact a financial technology discussion that we had as well. So we're looking at those instances of how digital ID assists people with procedures that often take too long and are too cumbersome and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Reforms

The Prime Minister admitted that the government had to make the case for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have declined sharply in public approval since he proposed them.

"In my view now we need to go out and make that case the significant advantages ... And I believe that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that come with this ... as has occurred in different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and International Relations Addressed

The Prime Minister confirmed he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and ties with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how India was persisting to buy oil from Russia, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on ending this conflict and the multiple measures will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "This included a broad spectrum of discussion, but we did set out the actions that we are taking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister additionally said he had brought up the case of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian prison for almost a decade without undergoing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among Britons still held overseas.

However, Starmer did not indicate much progress had been made. "Yes, we did raise the consular cases," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is meeting the relatives in the near future, as well as discussing it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is widely expected to take a comparable trade-focused trip to China in the coming year as part of a effort to improve relations between the UK and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the UK has been unwilling to provide new proof that the country is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister said the United Kingdom was keen to explore additional commercial partnerships but stated that a commercial agreement with China was not on the agenda. "It is not a priority, for a trade deal as such, but our position is to work together where we can, challenge where we must, and this has been the ongoing approach of the administration in regarding China."