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The Prime Minister has stated that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," but stopped short of endorsing the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Relief to the World"

The prime minister remarked that the first phase of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the UK had contributed significantly in private discussions with the United States and mediators.

Addressing the media on the last day of his trade visit to India, the British leader emphasized that the deal "must now be implemented in full, without postponement, and paired with the prompt removal of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Answered

However, when questioned if the Nobel committee should at this time award Donald 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 execute this ... my attention now is transitioning this from the stage it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that matters to me above all," he told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has hailed a series of agreements finalized during his visit to the country – his first time there – joined by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The trip signifies the implementation of the countries' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister finalized a defence deal worth £350m for British-made missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian army.

"The shared history is deep, the human connections between our citizens are truly special," he said as he left the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this partnership for our era."

Digital Identification Initiative Studied

Starmer has spent time in India analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including meeting principal architects who developed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for benefits, payments, and verification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the application of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the Britain would eventually look at connecting it to banking and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and school applications.

"It's been taken up on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, partly because it ensures that you can access your own money, make payments so much more easily than is possible with others," he explained.

"The speed with which it allows residents here to access services, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our talks yesterday, and actually a Fintech conversation that we had as well. So we're looking at those instances of how digital ID assists individuals with processes that often take too long and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Reforms

Starmer acknowledged that the administration had to make the case for the reforms to the British public, which have declined sharply in public approval since Starmer proposed them.

"In my view now we need to go out and advocate for the huge benefits ... And I think that the more people see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has happened in other countries, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and International Relations Discussed

Starmer confirmed he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and relations with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made little headway. Starmer confirmed that he and Modi discussed how India was persisting to buy oil from Russia, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

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

The Prime Minister additionally said he had raised the situation of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without facing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among Britons currently detained abroad.

But, Starmer did not indicate much progress had been achieved. "Indeed, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the families in coming weeks, as well as discussing it today."

Future Plans

Starmer is widely expected to take a similar trade-focused visit to China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to improve relations between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is deemed a security risk.

Starmer clarified the United Kingdom was eager to pursue additional commercial partnerships but stated that a trade deal with China was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to cooperate where we can, challenge where we must, and this has been the ongoing approach of the government in regarding China."