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The Prime Minister has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," but avoided supporting the US president for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Relief to the Globe"

The prime minister commented that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had played its own role in private discussions with the US and mediators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his business trip to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer stressed that the agreement "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 Addressed

However, when asked if the Nobel committee should now grant Donald Trump the coveted prize, Starmer suggested that more time was required to know if a durable peace could be achieved.

"The priority now is to press on and implement this ... my attention now is transitioning this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Announced During India Visit

The Prime Minister has celebrated a series of agreements finalized during his tour to the country – his maiden visit there – joined by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The trip signifies the passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• The UK government has unveiled a slew of investments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On Thursday, Starmer signed a defence deal worth £350 million for UK missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian army.

"The shared history is profound, the human connections between our citizens are exceptionally strong," he remarked as he departed the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our era."

Digital ID Initiative Examined

Starmer has dedicated time in India analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting principal architects who designed the widespread system utilized by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and verification.

He suggested that the UK was interested in broadening the application of digital identification beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK 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 educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it means that you can retrieve your own funds, make payments so much more conveniently than is available with others," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it enables residents here to access services, especially financial services, is something that was recognized in our discussions yesterday, and in fact a Fintech discussion that we had as well. So we're examining those instances of how digital ID assists people with processes that sometimes take excessive time and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

Starmer admitted that the administration had to build public support for the initiatives to the British public, which have plummeted in popularity since Starmer proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the significant advantages ... And I think that the more people see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has happened in different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian premier regarding human rights and relations with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. Starmer acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi talked about how the country 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 various steps will be implemented to that purpose," he said. "And that was a broad spectrum of dialogue, but we outlined the steps that we are taking in relation to energy."

Starmer additionally said he had brought up the case of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without facing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among Britons still held abroad.

But, he did not suggest much progress had been achieved. "Indeed, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is meeting the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

The prime minister is widely expected to take a similar trade-focused visit to the People's Republic of China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to improve relations between the United Kingdom and China.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, said to have happened because the UK has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is deemed a security risk.

The Prime Minister clarified the UK was keen to explore additional commercial partnerships but stated that a trade deal with China was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to cooperate where we are able, challenge where we need to, and this has been the ongoing approach of the administration in relation to China."