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Keir Starmer has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet avoided supporting the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

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

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the UK had played its own role behind the scenes with the US and negotiators.

Speaking on the last day of his business trip to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer emphasized that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and paired with the prompt removal of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Answered

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should now award Trump the prestigious prize, Starmer implied that time was required to determine if a durable peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to press on and execute this ... my attention now is transitioning 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

Starmer has hailed a series of agreements sealed during his tour to the country – his first time there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The trip marks the passing of the countries' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister finalized a military agreement worth £350 million for UK missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"The shared history is deep, the human connections between our citizens are truly special," Starmer remarked as he departed the city. "Building on our historic trade deal, we are remaking this alliance for our times."

Digital ID System Studied

Starmer has dedicated time in India analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including consulting key figures who designed the comprehensive platform used by more than 1 billion people for social services, payments, and identification.

The prime minister hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in expanding the scope of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He proposed that the UK would eventually look at connecting it to financial and transaction networks – 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 massive scale, not least because it ensures that you can retrieve your own money, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is possible with others," he explained.

"The speed with which it allows citizens here to utilize facilities, particularly banking options, is something that was recognized in our discussions yesterday, and actually a financial technology discussion that we had today. So we're looking at those instances of how digital identification helps individuals with procedures that sometimes take excessive time and are too cumbersome and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Changes

The Prime Minister admitted that the administration had to build public support for the initiatives to the British public, which have plummeted in popularity since Starmer proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the significant advantages ... And I believe that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that come with this ... as has happened in other countries, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and International Relations Discussed

Starmer said he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding civil liberties and ties with Russia, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. He acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how the country was continuing to buy oil from Russia, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on resolving this conflict and the various steps will be implemented to that purpose," he said. "And that was a broad spectrum of dialogue, but we did set out the steps that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally said he had raised the case of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian jail for almost a decade without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among UK nationals still held overseas.

But, he did not suggest much progress had been achieved. "Yes, we did raise the consular cases," he said. "We consistently address 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 raising it today."

Future Plans

The prime minister is widely expected to take a similar trade-focused 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.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, said to have happened because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that the country is deemed a security risk.

Starmer said the United Kingdom was keen to explore other trading relationships but stated that a commercial agreement with the nation was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal as such, but our position is to work together where we can, challenge where we must, and that's been the ongoing approach of the administration in regarding China."