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Keir Starmer has stated that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," yet avoided endorsing the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Relief to the Globe"

The prime minister remarked that the first phase of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the UK had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the United States and negotiators.

Speaking on the final day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer emphasized that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and paired with the prompt removal of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Inquiry Addressed

But, when questioned if the Nobel committee should at this time grant Trump the prestigious award, the Prime Minister suggested that more time was required to know if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to press on and execute this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that matters to me more than anything else," he stated at a press conference in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Announced During Trip to India

Starmer has hailed a number of deals sealed during his tour to the country – his first time there – joined by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The visit marks the implementation of the countries' trade pact.

• No 10 has announced a range of financial commitments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On Thursday, Starmer finalized a military agreement worth £350 million for UK missiles, produced in the UK region, to be used by the Indian military.

"Our history together is deep, the human connections between our people are exceptionally strong," he remarked as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are remaking this alliance for our era."

Digital Identification Initiative Examined

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

He hinted that the UK was interested in expanding the application of digital identification beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the Britain would eventually look at linking it to financial and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan and school applications.

"It's been taken up on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, partly because it means that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more easily than is possible with others," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it enables residents here to utilize facilities, particularly financial services, is something that was acknowledged in our talks recently, and in fact a financial technology discussion that we had today. So we're examining those instances of how digital ID assists individuals with procedures that sometimes take too long and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

Starmer acknowledged that the administration had to build public support for the reforms 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 accompany this ... as has happened in other countries, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he stated.

Human Rights and International Relations Discussed

Starmer confirmed he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding civil liberties and relations with Russia, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. He confirmed that he and Modi discussed how the country was continuing to buy oil from Russia, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

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

The Prime Minister also said he had raised the case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian prison for almost a decade without undergoing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among Britons currently detained overseas.

However, he did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Yes, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the relatives in the near future, as well as discussing it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a similar trade-focused trip to China in the coming year as part of a effort to ease diplomatic ties between the UK and China.

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

The Prime Minister said the UK was eager to pursue additional commercial partnerships but stated that a trade deal with the nation was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to work together where we can, challenge where we need to, and that's been the consistent policy of the administration in regarding China."