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The Prime Minister has stated that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet avoided endorsing the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Relief to the Globe"

Starmer 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 mediators.

Speaking on the final day of his business trip to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer emphasized that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and paired with the prompt removal of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Addressed

But, when asked if the Nobel committee should now award Trump the prestigious award, Starmer suggested that more time was required to determine if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to press on 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 more than anything else," he stated at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has celebrated a number of deals finalized during his visit to the country – his first time there – joined by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The trip marks the passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• No 10 has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, Starmer signed a military agreement worth £350m for UK missiles, produced in the UK region, to be used by the Indian military.

"The shared history is deep, the personal ties between our citizens are truly special," Starmer said as he departed the city. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are reinventing this alliance for our times."

Digital Identification Initiative Examined

Starmer has dedicated time in Mumbai studying the Indian digital ID system, including consulting key figures who developed the widespread system used by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and verification.

He suggested that the United Kingdom was interested in expanding the scope of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the Britain would eventually look at connecting it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, partly because it ensures that you can access your own money, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is available with others," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to utilize facilities, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions yesterday, and in fact a Fintech discussion that we had as well. So we're looking at those examples of how digital ID assists people with procedures that often take excessive time and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Reforms

The Prime Minister admitted that the administration had to make the case for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have declined sharply in popularity since Starmer announced them.

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

Human Rights and International Relations Discussed

Starmer confirmed he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and relations with Russia, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. He confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi talked about how India was continuing to buy oil from Russia, which is subject to extensive international restrictions.

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

Starmer also said he had brought up the case of the UK-based activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian prison for almost a decade without facing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among UK nationals still held overseas.

However, Starmer did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the families in coming weeks, as well as raising it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is widely expected to take a similar trade-focused visit to the People's Republic of China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to ease diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the UK has been unwilling to provide new proof that the country is deemed a threat.

The Prime Minister said the UK was keen to explore other trading relationships but stated that a trade deal with the nation was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to cooperate where we are able, confront where we need to, and that's been the consistent policy of the government in relation to China."