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Keir Starmer has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," yet avoided supporting the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

Truce Agreement Welcomed as a "Relief to the World"

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the US and mediators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his business trip to India, Starmer emphasized that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Addressed

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

"What matters now is to move forward and execute this ... my attention now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that matters to me more than anything else," he stated at a press conference in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has celebrated a number of deals finalized during his tour to the country – his maiden visit there – joined by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The trip marks the implementation of the countries' trade pact.

• The UK government has unveiled a slew of investments, from fintech to higher education facilities, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On the final day, Starmer signed a defence deal worth £350 million for UK missiles, produced in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"The shared history is profound, the personal ties between our people are exceptionally strong," he remarked as he departed the city. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this alliance for our era."

Digital Identification System Examined

Starmer has dedicated time in India analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting principal architects who developed the widespread system used by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and verification.

The prime minister hinted that the UK was considering expanding the scope of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at linking it to financial and payments systems – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan and educational enrollments.

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

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to utilize facilities, especially banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions yesterday, and actually a financial technology conversation that we had as well. So we're examining those instances of how digital ID assists individuals with procedures that sometimes take excessive time and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

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.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the huge benefits ... And I believe that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that come with this ... as has happened in different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Addressed

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

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the priority on resolving this situation and the multiple measures will be implemented to that purpose," he said. "This included a broad spectrum of dialogue, but we did set out the actions that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally mentioned he had brought up the case of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian prison for almost a decade without undergoing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of injustice among Britons still held abroad.

But, Starmer did not suggest much advancement had been made. "Indeed, we brought up the consular cases," 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 relatives in coming weeks, as well as discussing it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is widely expected to take a comparable business-oriented trip to the People's Republic of China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to improve diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the UK has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that China is considered a security risk.

The Prime Minister clarified the UK was keen to explore other trading relationships but stated 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 work together where we can, confront where we need to, and this has been the consistent policy of the administration in relation to China."