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Keir Starmer has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," but stopped short of endorsing the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

Truce Agreement Hailed as a "Relief to the World"

The prime minister commented 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.

Speaking on the last day of his trade visit to India, Starmer stressed that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and paired with the prompt removal of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Answered

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should now award Trump the coveted award, the Prime Minister suggested that more time was required to know if a durable peace could be achieved.

"The priority now is to press on and execute this ... my focus now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During Trip to India

Starmer has hailed a number of deals sealed during his visit to India – his maiden visit there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The visit marks the implementation of the two nations' trade pact.

• No 10 has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from fintech to higher education facilities, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, Starmer finalized a military agreement worth £350m for UK missiles, manufactured in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"Our history together is deep, the personal ties between our people are truly special," Starmer remarked as he departed Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our era."

Digital ID Initiative Studied

Starmer has spent time in India studying the national digital identification program, including meeting key figures who developed the widespread system utilized by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and identification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was considering expanding the scope of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the UK would eventually look at linking it to banking and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it means that you can retrieve your own funds, conduct transactions so much more easily than is available with alternative methods," he noted.

"The speed with which it enables citizens here to utilize facilities, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our talks recently, and in fact a Fintech discussion that we had today. So we're examining those instances of how digital identification assists individuals with procedures that sometimes take too long and are too cumbersome and makes them easier for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

The Prime Minister admitted that the administration had to make the case for the reforms to the British public, which have plummeted in public approval since he 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 accompany this ... as has occurred in other countries, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer said he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and ties with Russia, though he appeared to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how the country was persisting to buy oil from Russia, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the priority on ending this conflict and the various steps will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "This included a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the steps that we are undertaking in regarding energy."

Starmer also said he had brought up the situation of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian jail for almost a decade without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among Britons currently detained abroad.

However, Starmer did not indicate much progress had been made. "Indeed, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he said. "We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the relatives in the near future, as well as raising it today."

Future Plans

The prime minister is largely anticipated 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 relations between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the UK has been unwilling to provide new proof that China is deemed a security risk.

Starmer clarified the UK was eager to pursue other trading relationships but stated that a trade deal with the nation was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to work together where we can, confront where we must, and that's been the consistent policy of the government in relation to China."