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Keir Starmer has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "would not have occurred without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet stopped short of supporting the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

Truce Agreement Hailed as a "Relief to the World"

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

Speaking on the last day of his trade visit to India, Starmer stressed that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Addressed

However, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should at this time grant Donald Trump the prestigious award, Starmer implied that time was needed to determine if a durable peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to move forward and implement 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 stated at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Announced During India Visit

Starmer has hailed a series of agreements finalized during his tour to India – his maiden visit there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The visit signifies the implementation of the countries' 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 the final day, the Prime Minister finalized a defence deal worth £350 million for British-made missiles, produced 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," Starmer said as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this alliance for our times."

Digital ID System Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including meeting principal architects who designed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for social services, transactions, and verification.

He suggested that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the scope of digital identification beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the Britain would eventually look at linking it to banking and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and school applications.

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

"The efficiency with which it enables citizens here to utilize facilities, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions recently, and actually a financial technology discussion that we had as well. So we're examining those instances of how digital identification assists individuals with procedures that often take too long and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Reforms

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the government had to build public support for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have declined sharply in popularity since Starmer proposed them.

"In my view now we need to go out and make that case the significant advantages ... And I think that the more people see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has occurred in different nations, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Addressed

Starmer said he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding human rights and ties with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. Starmer confirmed that he and Modi discussed how the country was continuing to purchase oil from Russia, which is facing 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 dialogue, but we outlined the steps that we are undertaking in regarding energy."

Starmer also mentioned he had raised the case of the UK-based activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian prison 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 UK nationals currently detained overseas.

However, Starmer did not suggest much progress had been achieved. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the families in the near future, as well as discussing it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is largely anticipated to take a comparable business-oriented visit to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a effort to improve relations between the United Kingdom and China.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the UK has been unwilling to provide new proof that China is deemed a security risk.

The Prime Minister said the United Kingdom was keen to pursue additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with China was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal as such, but our stance is to work together where we are able, confront where we need to, and that's been the consistent policy of the administration in relation to China."