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Keir Starmer has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," yet avoided endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

Truce Agreement Welcomed as a "Relief to the World"

Starmer commented that the initial stage of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the UK had contributed significantly in private discussions with the US and mediators.

Speaking on the final day of his trade visit to India, Starmer emphasized that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Answered

But, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should now award Donald Trump the prestigious award, the Prime Minister implied that more time was needed to determine if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to press on and execute this ... my focus now is moving this from the phase it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me above all," he stated at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During Trip to India

Starmer has celebrated a series of agreements finalized during his tour to the country – his maiden visit there – accompanied by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The visit marks the implementation of the countries' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has unveiled a slew of investments, from fintech to higher education facilities, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350m for UK missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian army.

"The shared history is deep, the personal ties between our people are exceptionally strong," he remarked as he departed the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this partnership for our times."

Digital ID System Examined

Starmer has spent time in Mumbai studying the national digital identification program, including meeting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform used by over a billion individuals for benefits, payments, and verification.

The prime minister suggested that the United Kingdom was interested in expanding the scope of digital identification beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He proposed that the UK 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 huge numbers, not least because it ensures that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more conveniently than is available with alternative methods," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it allows citizens here to utilize facilities, particularly banking options, is something that was recognized in our discussions yesterday, and in fact a financial technology conversation that we had today. So we're looking at those examples of how digital ID helps people with processes that often take excessive time and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Reforms

The Prime Minister admitted that the government had to make the case for the reforms to the British public, which have plummeted in popularity since Starmer proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and make that case the significant advantages ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the benefits that accompany this ... as has occurred in different nations, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Addressed

Starmer confirmed he had raised a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding human rights and relations with Russia, though he appeared to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how the country was persisting to purchase Russian oil, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on ending this situation and the various steps will be taken to that end," he said. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the actions that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally 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 nearly eight years without facing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among UK nationals still held abroad.

But, Starmer did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Yes, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is meeting the relatives in the near future, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

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

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide new proof that the country is deemed a threat.

Starmer said the UK was eager to pursue additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with China was not on the agenda. "It is not a priority, for a trade deal as such, but our stance is to work together where we can, challenge where we need to, and this has been the consistent policy of the administration in regarding China."