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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 avoided supporting the US president for a Nobel Prize.

Truce Agreement Welcomed as a "Relief to the Globe"

The prime minister remarked that the first phase of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly in private discussions with the United States and mediators.

Speaking on the last day of his business trip to India, Starmer emphasized that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and paired with the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Answered

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

"What matters now is to move forward and execute this ... my focus now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that matters to me above all," he stated at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Revealed During India Visit

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

• The UK government has announced a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister finalized a military agreement worth £350 million for UK missiles, manufactured in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian army.

"Our history together is profound, the personal ties between our people are truly special," Starmer remarked as he left the city. "Building on our historic trade deal, we are remaking this alliance for our era."

Digital ID System Studied

Starmer has dedicated time in Mumbai studying the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who designed the widespread system utilized by more than 1 billion people for social services, payments, and identification.

He suggested that the United Kingdom was interested in expanding the scope of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to prove rights 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 official procedures such as home loan and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in huge numbers, partly because it means that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more conveniently than is possible with alternative methods," he noted.

"The speed with which it allows residents here to utilize facilities, especially financial services, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions recently, and in fact a financial technology discussion that we had as well. So we're examining those examples of how digital identification assists people with processes that sometimes take too long and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Reforms

Starmer acknowledged that the administration had to make the case for the initiatives to the British public, which have declined sharply in public approval since he proposed them.

"In my view now we need to go out and make that case the significant advantages ... And I think that the more people see the positive outcomes that come with this ... as has occurred in other countries, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Addressed

Starmer said he had raised a number of difficult topics with the Indian premier regarding civil liberties and ties with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made little headway. Starmer confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi talked about how the country was persisting to buy Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on ending this situation and the various steps will be taken to that end," he commented. "This included a wide range of dialogue, but we outlined the actions that we are taking in regarding energy."

Starmer also mentioned he had brought up the case of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without facing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among UK nationals currently detained overseas.

However, he did not suggest much progress had been made. "Indeed, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the families in coming weeks, as well as discussing it today."

Future Plans

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a similar business-oriented trip to China in the next 12 months as part of a effort to improve relations between the UK and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, said to have happened because the UK has been reluctant to provide new proof that the country is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister clarified the United Kingdom was keen to explore other trading relationships but stated that a trade deal with China was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we can, confront where we must, and that's been the consistent policy of the administration in regarding China."