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Keir Starmer has stated that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," but stopped short of endorsing the US president for a Nobel Prize.

Truce Agreement Welcomed as a "Relief to the World"

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly in private discussions with the US and negotiators.

Addressing the media on the last day of his business trip to India, Starmer emphasized that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and paired with the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Addressed

However, when questioned if the Nobel committee should at this time grant Donald Trump the prestigious award, the Prime Minister suggested that time was needed to know if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"The priority now is to press on and execute this ... my attention now is moving this from the phase it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that matters to me above all," he stated at a press conference in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

The Prime Minister has hailed a series of agreements finalized during his visit to India – his maiden visit there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The trip signifies the implementation of the two nations' trade pact.

• No 10 has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, Starmer signed a defence deal worth £350 million for British-made missiles, manufactured in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian army.

"Our history together is deep, the personal ties between our citizens are exceptionally strong," Starmer said as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are remaking this alliance for our era."

Digital ID System Examined

Starmer has spent time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including meeting key figures who developed the widespread system utilized by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and verification.

He suggested that the UK was considering expanding the application of digital identification 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 optional basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and educational enrollments.

"It's been taken up on a voluntary basis [in India] in huge numbers, not least because it ensures that you can access your own money, conduct transactions so much more easily than is possible with alternative methods," he noted.

"The speed with which it enables residents here to utilize facilities, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions recently, and actually a financial technology conversation that we had today. So we're looking at those examples of how digital ID assists individuals with procedures that often take too long and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Reforms

The Prime Minister admitted that the administration had to build public support for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have declined sharply in public approval since Starmer proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the huge benefits ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that come with this ... as has happened in other countries, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and International Relations Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had raised a number of difficult topics with the Indian premier regarding human rights and relations with Russia, though he seemed to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how the country was persisting to purchase Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on resolving this conflict and the multiple measures will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "This included a broad spectrum of dialogue, but we did set out the actions that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister also said he had raised the situation of the UK-based activist the individual, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without facing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of injustice among Britons still held abroad.

But, he did not indicate much advancement had been achieved. "Indeed, 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 relatives in the near future, as well as raising it today."

Future Plans

The prime minister is largely anticipated to take a similar business-oriented visit to China in the next 12 months as part of a effort to improve relations between the UK and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that the country is deemed a security risk.

Starmer said the UK was eager to pursue other trading relationships but emphasized that a trade deal with China was not currently planned. "It is not a priority, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to work together where we can, challenge where we must, and that's been the consistent policy of the government in relation to China."