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

Truce Agreement Hailed as a "Relief to the World"

The prime minister commented that the first phase of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the UK had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the United States and negotiators.

Speaking on the final day of his business trip to India, the British leader stressed that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Answered

However, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should at this time award Donald Trump the prestigious prize, Starmer suggested that more time was required to determine if a durable 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 make a success of this, because that matters to me above all," he stated at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has hailed a series of agreements sealed during his visit to the country – his maiden visit there – joined by 126 business leaders and arts figures. The trip signifies the implementation of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has announced a slew of investments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister signed a military agreement worth £350m for British-made missiles, manufactured in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"Our history together is deep, the personal ties between our people are exceptionally strong," Starmer said as he left Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our era."

Digital Identification Initiative Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in India studying the Indian digital ID system, including meeting principal architects who designed the comprehensive platform utilized by more than 1 billion people for benefits, transactions, and verification.

He suggested that the UK was interested in broadening the scope of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the Britain would eventually look at connecting it to banking and payments systems – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in huge numbers, partly because it means that you can access your own money, conduct transactions so much more easily than is possible with others," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it enables citizens here to access services, especially financial services, is something that was recognized in our talks recently, and actually a financial technology discussion that we had today. So we're examining those examples of how digital ID assists people with processes that often take excessive time and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Reforms

Starmer admitted that the administration had to make the case for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in popularity since Starmer proposed them.

"In my view now we need to go out and make that case the huge benefits ... And I believe 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 consequently I want to get on with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had raised a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and ties with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made little headway. He confirmed that he and Modi discussed how the country was continuing to purchase Russian oil, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on ending this situation and the various steps will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a wide range of dialogue, but we outlined the actions that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

Starmer also said he had brought up the case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without undergoing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among UK nationals still held overseas.

But, he did not suggest much progress had been achieved. "Indeed, we brought up the consular cases," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the families in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

The prime minister 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 China.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that the country is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister said the United Kingdom was eager to pursue other trading relationships but stated that a trade deal with the nation was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal as such, but our stance is to work together where we can, confront where we must, and this has been the consistent policy of the government in relation to China."