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The Prime Minister has stated that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," yet avoided endorsing the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Relief to the Globe"

The prime minister remarked that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and noted that the UK had played its own role in private discussions with the United States and mediators.

Speaking on the last day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer stressed that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Addressed

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should at this time award Trump the coveted prize, the Prime Minister suggested that time was required to determine if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to press on and implement this ... my attention 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 stated at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During Trip to India

The Prime Minister has hailed a series of agreements finalized during his visit to the country – his maiden visit there – accompanied by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The visit marks the implementation of the countries' trade pact.

• No 10 has unveiled a slew of investments, from fintech to higher education facilities, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On Thursday, Starmer signed a defence deal worth £350m for British-made missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian army.

"The shared history is profound, the human connections between our citizens are exceptionally strong," Starmer said as he left Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this alliance for our era."

Digital ID Initiative Studied

Starmer has dedicated time in India analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including meeting key figures who designed the widespread system utilized by over a billion individuals for benefits, payments, and identification.

He hinted that the UK was considering expanding the application of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the Britain would in time look at connecting it to financial and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in huge numbers, not least because it means that you can access your own funds, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is possible with others," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it allows citizens here to access services, especially banking options, is something that was recognized in our talks yesterday, and in fact a financial technology conversation that we had today. So we're examining those examples of how digital ID assists individuals with processes that often take too long and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

Starmer admitted that the administration had to make the case for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have declined sharply in public approval since he announced them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the huge benefits ... And I think that the more people see the positive outcomes that come with 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 affirmed.

Human Rights and International Relations Discussed

The Prime Minister said he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding human rights and ties with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. Starmer confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how the country was persisting to buy Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on ending this situation and the multiple measures will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a broad spectrum of discussion, but we did set out the actions that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally mentioned 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 undergoing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among Britons currently detained abroad.

However, Starmer did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Indeed, we brought up the consular cases," he said. "We always raise them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is meeting the families in the near future, as well as discussing it now."

Future Plans

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

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that the country is deemed a threat.

Starmer said the United Kingdom was keen to pursue additional commercial partnerships but stated that a trade deal with the nation was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal as such, but our position is to work together where we can, confront where we need to, and that's been the ongoing approach of the government in relation to China."