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Keir Starmer has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," but avoided endorsing the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

Truce Agreement Welcomed as a "Relief to the Globe"

Starmer commented that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the UK had played its own role behind the scenes with the United States and negotiators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his business trip to India, Starmer stressed that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Addressed

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should now award Trump the coveted prize, the Prime Minister implied that time was required to know if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to press on and execute this ... my focus now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that matters to me more than anything else," he stated at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During India Visit

Starmer has celebrated a series of agreements finalized during his tour to India – his first time there – accompanied by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The visit signifies the passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• The UK government has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, Starmer finalized a military agreement worth £350 million for British-made missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian military.

"Our history together is profound, the personal ties between our citizens are truly special," he said as he departed the city. "Building on our historic trade deal, we are remaking this partnership for our times."

Digital ID System Examined

Starmer has spent time in Mumbai studying the Indian digital ID system, including meeting principal architects who designed the widespread system utilized by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and verification.

The prime minister suggested that the UK was considering broadening the scope of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK would eventually look at linking it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as mortgage and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it means that you can access your own money, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is available with others," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it enables residents here to utilize facilities, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our talks yesterday, and in fact a Fintech discussion that we had today. So we're examining those examples of how digital ID assists people with processes that sometimes take excessive time and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

The Prime Minister admitted that the administration had to make the case for the initiatives to the British public, which have declined sharply in popularity since he proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and make that case 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 make my life easier,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and International Relations Discussed

Starmer said he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and relations with Russia, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. He acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how India was persisting to purchase Russian oil, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on ending this situation and the multiple measures will be implemented to that purpose," he said. "And that was a broad spectrum of discussion, but we outlined the steps that we are taking in regarding energy."

Starmer also mentioned he had brought up the case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among UK nationals still held abroad.

However, Starmer did not indicate much progress had been made. "Yes, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is meeting the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is largely anticipated to take a comparable business-oriented trip to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a effort to ease diplomatic ties between the UK and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the UK has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is deemed a security risk.

Starmer said the UK was keen to explore other trading relationships but stated that a trade deal with China was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we are able, confront where we must, and that's been the consistent policy of the administration in regarding China."