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Keir Starmer has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," yet stopped short of supporting the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

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

The prime minister remarked that the initial stage of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the UK had played its own role in private discussions with the United States and negotiators.

Speaking on the final day of his business trip to India, the British leader emphasized that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without postponement, and paired with the immediate lifting of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Answered

However, when questioned if the Nobel committee should now grant Donald Trump the coveted prize, the Prime Minister implied that more time was needed to determine if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"The priority now is to move forward and implement 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 above all," he told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During India Visit

The Prime Minister has hailed a series of agreements sealed during his visit to India – his maiden visit there – accompanied by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The trip marks the passing of the countries' trade pact.

• No 10 has unveiled a slew of investments, 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 £350 million for British-made missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"Our history together is profound, the human connections between our citizens are exceptionally strong," Starmer said as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are reinventing this partnership for our era."

Digital ID System Studied

Starmer has spent time in India analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who developed the widespread system used by over a billion individuals for benefits, payments, and verification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the application of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at connecting it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it means that you can access your own funds, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is available with alternative methods," he noted.

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

Popular Backing for Reforms

Starmer admitted that the administration had to make the case for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in popularity since he proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and make that case the significant advantages ... And I believe that the more people see the benefits that accompany this ... as has occurred in other countries, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Human Rights and International Relations 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 appeared to have made little headway. Starmer confirmed that he and Modi discussed how India was continuing to buy Russian oil, which is subject to extensive international restrictions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the priority on resolving this situation and the various steps will be taken to that end," he said. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the actions that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

Starmer additionally said he had brought up the case of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian prison for almost a decade without undergoing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among Britons currently detained abroad.

But, he did not indicate much progress had been achieved. "Yes, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he said. "We always raise them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the families in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is widely expected to take a comparable business-oriented visit 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 collapse of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide new proof that the country is considered a security risk.

The Prime Minister clarified the United Kingdom was eager to explore other trading relationships but stated that a trade deal with the nation 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, confront where we need to, and this has been the ongoing approach of the administration in relation to China."