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Keir Starmer has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "would not have occurred without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet stopped short of endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

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

The prime minister commented that the first phase of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the UK had played its own role behind the scenes with the US and negotiators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his business trip to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer stressed that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Addressed

But, when asked if the Nobel committee should now grant Trump the coveted prize, Starmer suggested that time was needed to know if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"The priority now is to move forward and execute this ... my attention now is moving this from the phase it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me above all," he stated at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Business Deals Announced During India Visit

Starmer has hailed a series of agreements sealed during his visit to India – his first time there – joined by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The trip marks the passing of the countries' trade pact.

• No 10 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 UK.
• On Thursday, Starmer finalized a military agreement worth £350 million for UK missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"Our history together is deep, the human connections between our citizens are exceptionally strong," he said as he departed the city. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are remaking this alliance for our times."

Digital ID System Examined

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

The prime minister suggested that the United Kingdom was considering broadening the scope of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at connecting it to financial and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks 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 access your own funds, conduct transactions so much more easily than is available with alternative methods," he explained.

"The speed with which it allows residents here to utilize facilities, especially financial services, is something that was recognized in our talks yesterday, and actually a financial technology conversation that we had today. So we're looking at those examples of how digital ID assists people with processes that sometimes take excessive time and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Reforms

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

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

Human Rights and International Relations Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and ties with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. He confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi talked about how the country was persisting to purchase oil from Russia, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on ending this conflict and the various steps will be taken to that end," he said. "And that was a broad spectrum of dialogue, but we did set out the steps that we are undertaking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister also said 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 facing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among Britons still held overseas.

However, he did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Indeed, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the relatives in the near future, as well as discussing it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is widely expected to take a similar trade-focused trip to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a mission to ease diplomatic ties between the UK and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that the country is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister clarified the UK was keen to pursue additional commercial partnerships but stated that a commercial agreement with the nation was not currently planned. "It is not a priority, for a trade deal as such, but our stance is to work together where we are able, confront where we need to, and that's been the consistent policy of the government in relation to China."