Starmer Commends Trump's Gaza Ceasefire Deal – However Declines of Nobel Prize Endorsement

The Prime Minister has stated that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," but stopped short of endorsing the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

Truce Agreement Hailed as a "Welcome Development to the Globe"

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the deal 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 final day of his trade visit to India, Starmer emphasized that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Answered

However, when asked if the Nobel committee should at this time grant Donald Trump the coveted award, the Prime Minister suggested that time was needed to determine if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to press on and execute this ... my focus now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he stated at a press conference in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Announced During India Visit

Starmer has celebrated a number of deals sealed during his visit to India – his first time there – accompanied by 126 business leaders and arts figures. The trip signifies the implementation of the countries' trade pact.

• The UK government has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350 million for UK missiles, produced in the UK region, to be used by the Indian army.

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

Digital ID System Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in Mumbai studying the Indian digital ID system, including consulting key figures who developed the widespread system used by over a billion individuals for social services, transactions, and identification.

The prime minister suggested that the United Kingdom was considering expanding the application of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the UK would eventually look at linking it to banking and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan and educational enrollments.

"It's been taken up on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it ensures that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more easily than is possible with alternative methods," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it enables citizens here to access services, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our talks recently, and in fact a financial technology conversation that we had today. So we're examining those examples of how digital ID assists individuals with processes that sometimes take too long and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Reforms

The Prime Minister admitted that the administration had to build public support for the initiatives to the British public, which have declined sharply in public approval since Starmer announced them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the significant advantages ... And I think that the more people see the benefits that come with this ... as has occurred in other countries, citizens say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian premier regarding civil liberties and relations with Russia, though he seemed to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how India was continuing to purchase Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on ending this situation and the various steps will be taken to that end," he said. "And that was a broad spectrum of discussion, but we outlined the actions that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

Starmer additionally mentioned he had raised the case of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without facing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of injustice among UK nationals still held abroad.

However, Starmer did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the families in the near future, as well as raising it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is largely anticipated to take a comparable trade-focused trip to China in the coming year as part of a mission to improve diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the UK has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that China is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister said the UK was eager to pursue other trading relationships but stated that a trade deal with China was not currently planned. "It is not a priority, for a trade deal as such, but our stance is to work together where we are able, confront where we need to, and that's been the consistent policy of the government in relation to China."