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

Truce Agreement Hailed as a "Relief to the World"

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the US and mediators.

Addressing the media on the last day of his business trip to India, the British leader stressed that the deal "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and paired with the immediate lifting of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Answered

But, when questioned if the Nobel committee should at this time grant Trump the coveted prize, Starmer implied that time was required to determine if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to press on and implement this ... my attention now is moving this from the stage 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 media briefing in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During Trip to India

Starmer has hailed a number of deals finalized during his visit to India – his first time there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The visit signifies the implementation of the countries' trade pact.

• The UK government has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, Starmer signed a military agreement worth £350 million for British-made missiles, produced in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"Our history together is deep, the personal ties between our citizens are exceptionally strong," he remarked as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this partnership for our times."

Digital ID System Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including meeting principal architects who designed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for social services, transactions, and identification.

He hinted that the UK was considering expanding the application of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the Britain would in time look at linking it to banking and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and educational enrollments.

"It's been taken up on a optional basis [in India] in huge numbers, partly because it ensures that you can retrieve your own funds, conduct transactions so much more easily than is available with others," he explained.

"The speed with which it allows residents here to access services, especially banking options, is something that was recognized in our discussions recently, and actually a Fintech discussion that we had today. So we're examining those instances of how digital identification helps individuals with procedures that often take too long and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Reforms

Starmer admitted that the administration had to build public support for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in public approval since he proposed them.

"In my view now we need to go out and advocate for the huge benefits ... And I believe that the more people see the benefits that accompany this ... as has occurred in different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and International Relations Addressed

The Prime Minister confirmed he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding human rights and relations with Russia, though he seemed to have made little headway. He confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi talked about how India was persisting to buy Russian oil, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the priority on ending this conflict and the various steps will be implemented to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we did set out the steps that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally mentioned he had raised the case of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among UK nationals still held abroad.

But, Starmer did not indicate much advancement had been achieved. "Yes, we did raise the consular cases," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the families in the near future, as well as raising it today."

Future Plans

The prime minister is widely expected to take a comparable trade-focused visit to the People's Republic of China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to ease diplomatic ties between the UK and the Asian nation.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the UK has been unwilling to provide new proof that the country is deemed a threat.

Starmer clarified the UK was eager to pursue other trading relationships but stated 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 stance is to cooperate where we can, challenge where we must, and this has been the ongoing approach of the government in regarding China."