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The Prime Minister has stated that the truce deal in Gaza "would not have occurred without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet stopped short of endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

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

The prime minister commented that the first phase of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the UK had played its own role behind the scenes with the US and mediators.

Speaking on the last day of his business trip to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader 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

However, when questioned if the Nobel committee should at this time award Trump the coveted prize, Starmer suggested that time was required to determine if a durable peace could be attained.

"The priority now is to move forward and execute this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that matters to me more than anything else," he stated at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During India Visit

The Prime Minister has hailed a series of agreements finalized during his tour to India – his first time there – joined by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The visit signifies the passing of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, Starmer signed a military agreement worth £350m for UK missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"The shared history is deep, the personal ties between our people are exceptionally strong," Starmer said as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this partnership for our era."

Digital ID Initiative Examined

The Prime Minister has spent time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform utilized by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and identification.

He hinted that the UK was considering broadening the scope of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the UK would eventually look at connecting it to financial and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, partly because it ensures that you can access your own money, make payments so much more easily than is possible with alternative methods," he noted.

"The speed with which it enables citizens here to access services, particularly banking options, is something that was recognized in our talks recently, and in fact a Fintech conversation that we had as well. So we're looking at those examples of how digital ID helps individuals with processes that sometimes take too long and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Popular Backing for Reforms

Starmer admitted that the administration had to make the case for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in public approval since Starmer proposed 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 come with this ... as has occurred in other countries, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Addressed

The Prime Minister confirmed he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and relations with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi talked about how India was continuing to purchase Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on resolving this conflict and the multiple measures will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the actions that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally said he had brought up the case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among Britons currently detained abroad.

But, he did not suggest much progress had been made. "Yes, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the foreign secretary is meeting the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

The prime minister is largely anticipated to take a similar trade-focused trip to China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to improve diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and China.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the UK has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that China is deemed a security risk.

Starmer said the United Kingdom was eager to explore other trading relationships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with China was not on the agenda. "It is not a priority, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to work together where we are able, challenge where we must, and that's been the consistent policy of the government in regarding China."