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The Prime Minister has asserted that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," but avoided supporting the US president for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Relief to the Globe"

The prime minister commented that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly in private discussions with the US and mediators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader emphasized that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Answered

But, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should now award Donald Trump the prestigious prize, Starmer suggested that more time was required to know if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

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

Trade and Investment Announced During Trip to India

Starmer has hailed 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' free trade agreement.

• The UK government 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, the Prime Minister signed a military agreement worth £350m for British-made missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian military.

"Our history together is deep, the human connections between our people are truly special," he said as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are remaking this alliance for our times."

Digital ID System Studied

Starmer has dedicated time in Mumbai studying the Indian digital ID system, including meeting principal architects who designed the widespread system used by more than 1 billion people for social services, transactions, and identification.

He suggested that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the application of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the Britain would in time look at connecting it to banking and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks 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 retrieve your own funds, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is possible with others," he noted.

"The speed with which it allows residents here to utilize facilities, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our discussions recently, and actually a Fintech conversation that we had as well. So we're examining those instances of how digital identification assists people with procedures that sometimes take excessive time and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Reforms

Starmer admitted that the government had to build public support for the reforms to the British public, which have declined sharply in popularity since Starmer proposed them.

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

Human Rights and International Relations Discussed

Starmer confirmed he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding human rights and relations with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi talked about how the country was persisting to purchase oil from Russia, which is subject to extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on resolving this conflict and the multiple measures will be taken to that purpose," he said. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the steps that we are undertaking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister also mentioned he had brought up the situation of the UK-based activist the individual, from Scotland, who has been detained 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 unfair treatment among UK nationals still held overseas.

But, Starmer did not suggest much progress had been achieved. "Indeed, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he said. "We always raise them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

Starmer is widely expected to take a comparable business-oriented visit to China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to improve diplomatic ties between the UK and China.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the UK has been unwilling to provide new proof that the country is considered a security risk.

The Prime Minister said the UK was keen to pursue additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a trade deal with the nation was not currently planned. "It is not a priority, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we can, challenge where we need to, and that's been the consistent policy of the administration in regarding China."