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The Prime Minister has stated that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," yet stopped short of supporting the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

Truce Agreement Hailed as a "Relief to the World"

The prime minister remarked that the initial stage of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the UK had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the United States and negotiators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his trade visit to India, the British leader stressed that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and paired with the prompt removal of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Answered

However, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should at this time award Trump the prestigious award, Starmer implied that more time was required to determine if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to move forward and implement this ... my focus 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 told reporters at a press conference in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has celebrated a number of deals sealed during his tour to the country – his first time there – joined by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The visit signifies the implementation of the two nations' trade pact.

• The UK government has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the production of three Bollywood films 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.

"The shared history is profound, the human connections between our citizens are truly special," Starmer said as he departed the city. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this alliance for our times."

Digital ID System Examined

The Prime Minister has spent time in Mumbai studying the Indian digital ID system, including meeting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform used by over a billion individuals for social services, payments, and identification.

The prime minister hinted that the UK was considering expanding the scope of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the Britain would eventually look at connecting it to financial and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in huge numbers, partly because it means that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more easily than is possible with alternative methods," he explained.

"The speed with which it allows citizens here to utilize facilities, especially banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions yesterday, and in fact a Fintech discussion that we had today. So we're looking at those instances of how digital ID helps people with processes that sometimes take excessive time and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Public Support 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 announced 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 other countries, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and International Relations Addressed

Starmer said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian premier regarding human rights and relations with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how the country was continuing to purchase oil from Russia, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on resolving this conflict and the various steps will be taken to that purpose," he said. "This included a wide range of dialogue, but we did set out the steps that we are undertaking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister additionally said he had raised the case of the British Sikh 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 often cited as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among Britons currently detained overseas.

However, Starmer did not suggest much progress had been made. "Yes, we brought up the consular cases," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a similar business-oriented trip to China in the coming year as part of a effort to ease relations between the UK and the Asian nation.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that China is deemed a threat.

The Prime Minister clarified the United Kingdom was eager to explore additional commercial partnerships but stated that a commercial agreement with China was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we are able, challenge where we need to, and that's been the consistent policy of the government in relation to China."