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

Truce Agreement Hailed as a "Relief to the World"

Starmer remarked that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the UK had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the US and negotiators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his trade visit to India, Starmer stressed that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and paired with the immediate lifting of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Inquiry Addressed

However, when questioned if the Nobel committee should at this time award Donald Trump the prestigious award, Starmer implied that more time was required to know if a durable peace could be attained.

"The priority now is to move forward and implement this ... my focus now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me above all," he stated at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has hailed a series of agreements sealed during his visit to India – his first time there – joined by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The trip marks the passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• The UK government has announced a slew of investments, from fintech to higher education facilities, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350 million for UK missiles, produced in the UK region, to be used by the Indian military.

"The shared history is profound, the human connections between our people are truly special," he said as he left Mumbai. "Building on our historic trade deal, we are reinventing this partnership for our era."

Digital ID System Examined

Starmer has dedicated time in Mumbai studying the Indian digital ID system, including meeting principal architects who designed the widespread system utilized by over a billion individuals for social services, payments, and verification.

He suggested that the United Kingdom was considering expanding the scope of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the Britain would eventually look at linking it to banking and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and school applications.

"It's been taken up on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, partly because it means that you can retrieve your own funds, make payments so much more easily than is available with alternative methods," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it enables residents here to utilize facilities, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our talks recently, and in fact a Fintech conversation that we had today. So we're examining those instances of how digital identification helps people with processes that often take too long and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Reforms

Starmer acknowledged that the administration had to make the case for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have declined sharply in popularity since he announced them.

"I think now we need to go out and make that case the huge benefits ... And I believe that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that accompany 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 affirmed.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding human rights and ties with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. Starmer acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how the country was continuing to purchase oil from Russia, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on ending this conflict and the various steps will be implemented to that end," he commented. "This included a broad spectrum of dialogue, but we did set out the steps that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister also said he had brought up the case of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian prison for almost a decade without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among Britons currently detained abroad.

However, he did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Yes, we did raise 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 meeting the families in coming weeks, as well as discussing it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a comparable business-oriented trip to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a effort to improve diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, said to have happened because the UK has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that the country is considered a security risk.

Starmer clarified the United Kingdom was keen to pursue additional commercial partnerships but stated that a commercial agreement with the nation 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 this has been the ongoing approach of the administration in relation to China."