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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," but stopped short of endorsing the US president for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Relief to the World"

Starmer commented that the initial stage of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the UK had contributed significantly in private discussions with the United States and mediators.

Speaking on the last day of his business trip to India, Starmer stressed that the deal "must now be implemented in full, without postponement, and paired with the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Answered

However, when questioned if the Nobel committee should at this time award Trump the prestigious award, Starmer implied that time was needed to determine if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to move forward and implement this ... my attention now is moving this from the phase it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that matters to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During Trip to India

Starmer has celebrated a number of deals finalized during his visit to the country – his first time there – joined by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The trip marks the implementation of the two nations' trade pact.

• No 10 has announced a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister finalized a military agreement worth £350 million for UK missiles, produced in the UK region, to be used by the Indian army.

"The shared history is profound, the personal ties between our people are truly special," Starmer remarked as he departed the city. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are reinventing this alliance for our times."

Digital Identification System Studied

Starmer has dedicated time in India analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform used by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and identification.

He hinted that the UK was considering broadening the application of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at linking it to banking and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for administrative tasks 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 funds, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is available with others," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it allows citizens here to access services, especially financial services, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions recently, and actually a Fintech conversation that we had as well. So we're looking at those instances of how digital identification helps people with processes that often take excessive time and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Reforms

The Prime Minister acknowledged 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 advocate for the huge benefits ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the benefits that come with this ... as has happened in different nations, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Addressed

Starmer confirmed he had raised a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding human rights and ties with Russia, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. He confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi talked about 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 multiple measures will be taken to that end," he commented. "And that was a broad spectrum of discussion, but we outlined the actions that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

Starmer also said he had raised the case of the UK-based activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian prison for almost a decade without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among Britons currently detained overseas.

But, he did not indicate much advancement had been achieved. "Indeed, we brought up the consular cases," 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 relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it today."

Future Plans

The prime minister is widely expected to take a similar trade-focused trip to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a mission to ease relations between the UK and China.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide new proof that the country is considered a threat.

Starmer said the UK was eager to pursue additional commercial partnerships but stated that a trade deal with China was not on the agenda. "It is not a priority, for a trade deal as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we are able, challenge where we must, and that's been the ongoing approach of the administration in relation to China."