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Keir Starmer has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet avoided supporting the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Relief to the Globe"

Starmer remarked that the initial stage of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the UK 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 deal "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Answered

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

"The priority now is to press on and execute this ... my attention now is transitioning this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that matters to me above all," he stated at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has hailed a number of deals finalized during his visit to India – his maiden visit there – accompanied by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The trip marks the implementation of the countries' trade pact.

• 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 UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister signed a military agreement worth £350m for UK missiles, manufactured in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian army.

"The shared history is profound, the personal ties between our people are exceptionally strong," Starmer said as he left Mumbai. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this partnership for our era."

Digital Identification System Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in India studying the Indian digital ID system, including meeting principal architects who designed the widespread system used by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and verification.

He suggested that the United Kingdom was considering expanding the application of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK would eventually look at linking it to banking and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in huge numbers, partly because it ensures that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more easily than is available with others," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to access services, especially banking options, is something that was recognized in our talks yesterday, and in fact a Fintech discussion that we had as well. So we're examining those instances of how digital identification helps people with processes that often take excessive time and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

The Prime Minister admitted that the administration had to make the case for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in popularity since he announced them.

"In my view now we need to go out and advocate for the significant advantages ... And I think that the more people see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has happened in other countries, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding civil liberties and ties with Russia, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. He acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi talked about how the country was persisting to purchase oil from Russia, which is subject to extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on ending this situation and the various steps will be implemented to that end," he said. "This included a broad spectrum of discussion, but we outlined the steps that we are undertaking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister additionally mentioned he had raised the case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian jail for almost a decade without undergoing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among UK nationals currently detained abroad.

But, he did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Indeed, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the foreign secretary is meeting the relatives in the near future, as well as discussing it now."

Future Plans

The prime minister is largely anticipated to take a similar trade-focused visit to China in the next 12 months as part of a effort to ease diplomatic ties between the UK and China.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the UK has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is considered a threat.

Starmer said the UK was eager to pursue additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a trade deal with the nation was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal as such, but our position is to work together where we are able, challenge where we need to, and this has been the ongoing approach of the administration in relation to China."