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The Prime Minister has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "would not have occurred without the leadership of Donald Trump," but stopped short of supporting the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

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

The prime minister remarked that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the UK had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the United States and mediators.

Addressing the media on the last day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer stressed that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and paired with the prompt removal of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Addressed

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

"The priority now is to move forward and execute this ... my attention now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he stated at a press conference in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During Trip to India

Starmer has hailed a series of agreements sealed during his tour to the country – his maiden visit there – joined by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The visit marks the passing of the countries' trade pact.

• No 10 has announced a slew of investments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, Starmer signed a defence deal worth £350m for British-made missiles, produced in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"Our history together is deep, the personal ties between our people are exceptionally strong," he said as he departed the city. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are remaking this alliance for our times."

Digital Identification Initiative Studied

Starmer has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including meeting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform used by over a billion individuals for social services, transactions, and identification.

The prime minister hinted that the UK was interested in broadening the scope of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the UK would eventually look at connecting it to financial and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

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

"The speed with which it enables citizens here to utilize facilities, especially banking options, is something that was recognized in our talks yesterday, and actually a financial technology discussion that we had as well. So we're examining those examples 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 Reforms

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

"I think now we need to go out and make that case the huge benefits ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the benefits that come with this ... as has happened in different nations, citizens say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Addressed

Starmer said he had raised a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and ties with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made little headway. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how India was continuing to buy Russian oil, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on resolving this conflict and the various steps will be taken to that end," he said. "And that was a broad spectrum of dialogue, but we did set out the actions that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister also mentioned he had brought up the case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without undergoing a full trial. It is often cited 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 made. "Indeed, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the families in the near future, as well as discussing it now."

Future Plans

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a comparable business-oriented visit to China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to improve diplomatic ties between the UK and the Asian nation.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the UK has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is deemed a threat.

The Prime Minister clarified the United Kingdom was keen to explore additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with the nation was not currently planned. "It is not a priority, for a trade deal as such, but our position is to cooperate where we can, confront where we need to, and that's been the ongoing approach of the government in relation to China."