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Keir Starmer has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet stopped short of endorsing the US president for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Relief to the World"

Starmer commented that the first phase of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the UK had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the US and mediators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his trade visit to India, the British leader emphasized that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without postponement, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Answered

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

"The priority now is to move forward and execute this ... my attention now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he stated at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Revealed During Trip to India

The Prime Minister has hailed a number of deals finalized during his tour to India – his first time there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The trip marks the implementation of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has announced a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On the final day, Starmer signed a military agreement worth £350 million for UK missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian military.

"The shared history is deep, the personal ties between our citizens are truly special," he remarked as he left Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this partnership for our era."

Digital Identification Initiative Studied

Starmer has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including meeting principal architects who developed the widespread system used by over a billion individuals for social services, payments, and identification.

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

"It's been taken up on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, partly because it ensures that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more conveniently than is available with alternative methods," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it enables citizens here to access services, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our talks yesterday, and in fact a financial technology discussion that we had today. So we're looking at those examples of how digital identification assists people with processes that sometimes take excessive time and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Changes

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

"I think 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 accompany this ... as has happened in other countries, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer said he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding human rights and relations with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made little headway. Starmer confirmed that he and Modi talked about how the country was persisting to buy Russian oil, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on ending this conflict and the multiple measures will be implemented to that purpose," he said. "And that was a wide range of dialogue, but we did set out the actions that we are taking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister also said 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 almost a decade without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among UK nationals still held overseas.

But, Starmer did not suggest much progress had been achieved. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is meeting the families in the near future, as well as raising it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is largely anticipated to take a similar business-oriented trip to China in the coming year as part of a effort to improve relations between the UK and China.

That relationship is receiving attention 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 considered a security risk.

Starmer clarified the UK 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 bilateral pact as such, but our position is to work together where we are able, confront where we must, and that's been the ongoing approach of the administration in regarding China."