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Keir Starmer has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," but stopped short of endorsing the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Welcome Development to the World"

The prime minister commented that the initial stage of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly in private discussions with the US and negotiators.

Speaking on the final day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer emphasized that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without postponement, and paired with the immediate lifting of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Answered

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should at this time grant Donald Trump the coveted award, Starmer suggested that time was needed to know if a durable peace could be attained.

"The priority now is to move forward and implement this ... my focus now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me above all," he told reporters at a press conference in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Announced During India Visit

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 marks the implementation of the countries' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, Starmer signed a defence deal worth £350 million for British-made missiles, produced in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"Our history together is deep, the personal ties between our citizens are truly special," Starmer said as he left Mumbai. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this alliance for our times."

Digital Identification System Examined

Starmer has spent time in Mumbai studying the national digital identification program, including consulting principal architects who designed the comprehensive platform used by over a billion individuals for social services, payments, and identification.

He suggested that the UK was interested in expanding the application of digital identification beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK would eventually look at connecting it to banking and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it means that you can retrieve your own funds, make payments so much more conveniently than is available with others," he explained.

"The speed with which it enables residents here to access services, particularly banking options, is something that was recognized in our discussions recently, 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 too long and are too cumbersome and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Changes

Starmer admitted that the government had to build public support for the initiatives to the British public, which have declined sharply in popularity since Starmer announced them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the huge benefits ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the benefits that accompany this ... as has happened in different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and relations with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. Starmer confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi talked about how the country was persisting to purchase Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on resolving this situation and the multiple measures will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a broad spectrum of discussion, but we outlined the steps that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

Starmer additionally mentioned he had brought up the case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without undergoing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of injustice among Britons still held abroad.

However, he did not suggest much progress had been made. "Indeed, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the chance 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 today."

Future Plans

Starmer is widely expected to take a similar business-oriented visit to the People's Republic of China in the next 12 months as part of a effort to improve relations between the UK and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is deemed a threat.

The Prime Minister said the UK was eager to explore additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with China was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to cooperate where we can, challenge where we need to, and that's been the consistent policy of the administration in relation to China."