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The Prime Minister has stated that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet avoided endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Welcome Development to the Globe"

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had played its own role behind the scenes with the US and mediators.

Addressing the media on the last day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader emphasized that the deal "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and paired with the prompt removal of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Inquiry Addressed

But, when questioned if the Nobel committee should now award Donald Trump the prestigious prize, the Prime Minister suggested that more time was required to determine if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to move forward and execute this ... my attention now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he stated at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During Trip to India

The Prime Minister has celebrated a series of agreements sealed during his visit to the country – his first time there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The trip signifies the implementation of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350m for British-made missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian army.

"Our history together is deep, the personal ties between our citizens are truly special," he remarked as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are remaking this partnership for our times."

Digital ID Initiative Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including meeting key figures who designed the widespread system utilized by more than 1 billion people for social services, payments, and verification.

He suggested that the United Kingdom was considering expanding the scope of digital identification beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the Britain would eventually look at linking it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary 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 huge numbers, partly because it ensures that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more easily than is possible with others," he explained.

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

Popular Backing for Reforms

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

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

Human Rights and International Relations Addressed

Starmer confirmed he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding human rights and ties with Russia, though he seemed to have made little headway. He confirmed that he and Modi talked about how India was persisting to buy Russian oil, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on ending this conflict and the multiple measures will be implemented to that purpose," he commented. "This included a wide range of dialogue, but we did set out the actions that we are taking in regarding energy."

Starmer additionally said he had brought up the situation of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian jail for almost a decade without facing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of injustice among Britons currently detained overseas.

However, Starmer did not indicate much progress had been made. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the families in the near future, as well as discussing it today."

Future Plans

Starmer is widely expected to take a similar business-oriented visit to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a mission to ease relations between the United Kingdom and China.

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

The Prime Minister said the United Kingdom was keen to explore other trading relationships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with China was not on the agenda. "It is not a priority, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we can, challenge where we need to, and this has been the ongoing approach of the government in relation to China."