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

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Welcome Development to the World"

Starmer commented that the initial stage of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly in private discussions with the United States and negotiators.

Speaking on the final day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader stressed that the deal "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Answered

However, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should now grant Trump the prestigious prize, the Prime Minister implied that more time was required to know if a durable peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to press on and implement this ... my attention now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Announced During Trip to India

The Prime Minister has celebrated a number of deals sealed during his tour to the country – his maiden visit there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The trip marks the passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• The UK government has announced a slew of investments, from fintech to higher education facilities, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On the final day, Starmer signed a military agreement worth £350m for UK missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian army.

"The shared history is profound, the human connections between our people are exceptionally strong," he remarked as he left the city. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this partnership for our era."

Digital Identification System Studied

Starmer has spent time in Mumbai analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including consulting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for social services, transactions, and identification.

The prime minister hinted that the UK was interested in broadening the scope of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the UK would in time look at connecting it to financial and payments systems – on a optional basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and school applications.

"It's been taken up on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, 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 efficiency with which it allows residents here to utilize facilities, particularly financial services, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions recently, and actually a Fintech discussion that we had as well. So we're examining those examples of how digital ID assists individuals with processes that often take excessive time and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Changes

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the administration had to make the case for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have declined sharply 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 greater number of individuals see the benefits 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 Discussed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding human rights and relations with Russia, though he appeared to have made little headway. He confirmed that he and Modi discussed how the country was persisting to buy oil from Russia, which is subject to extensive international restrictions.

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

Starmer also said he had brought up the case of the UK-based activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without facing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among Britons currently detained abroad.

However, Starmer did not suggest much progress had been achieved. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he said. "We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is meeting the families in coming weeks, as well as discussing it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is widely expected to take a comparable business-oriented trip to China in the next 12 months as part of a effort to improve diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and China.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight 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.

Starmer clarified the United Kingdom 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 stance is to cooperate where we can, confront where we need to, and this has been the consistent policy of the administration in relation to China."