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The Prime Minister has declared that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "would not have occurred without the leadership of Donald Trump," but stopped short of supporting the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

Truce Agreement Welcomed as a "Welcome Development to the World"

The prime minister 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.

Speaking on the last day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader stressed that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and paired with the prompt removal of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Addressed

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should at this time award Donald Trump the prestigious award, the Prime Minister suggested that time was needed to determine if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to move forward and execute this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he stated at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Revealed During Trip to India

The Prime Minister has celebrated a number of deals sealed during his tour to India – his first time there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The visit signifies the passing of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has announced a range of financial commitments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister signed a military agreement worth £350m for UK missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian military.

"The shared history is profound, the personal ties between our people are truly special," he said as he departed the city. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our era."

Digital ID System Examined

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

He suggested that the UK was interested in broadening the scope of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at linking it to financial and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it ensures that you can access your own funds, make payments so much more easily than is possible with others," he noted.

"The speed with which it allows citizens here to access services, especially financial services, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions recently, and in fact a financial technology conversation that we had as well. So we're looking at those instances of how digital identification assists individuals with procedures that sometimes take too long and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Changes

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the administration had to build public support for the initiatives to the British public, which have plummeted in public approval since he proposed them.

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

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer confirmed he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding human rights and relations with Russia, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi talked about how India was continuing to buy Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on ending this situation and the multiple measures will be implemented to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a broad spectrum of discussion, but we did set out the steps that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally mentioned he had raised the situation of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian prison for almost a decade without facing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among UK nationals currently detained overseas.

But, Starmer did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Indeed, we did raise the consular cases," he stated. "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 now."

Future Plans

The prime minister is widely expected to take a comparable trade-focused visit to China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to ease diplomatic ties between the UK and China.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, said to have happened because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide new proof that the country is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister clarified the United Kingdom was eager to pursue 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 position is to cooperate where we are able, challenge where we need to, and this has been the ongoing approach of the government in regarding China."