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The Prime Minister has stated that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," but avoided endorsing the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Relief to the Globe"

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and noted that the UK had contributed significantly in private discussions with the United States and mediators.

Speaking on the last day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader 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."

Peace Prize Question Addressed

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should at this time grant Donald Trump the coveted award, Starmer implied that time was required to determine if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to press on and implement this ... my focus now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me above all," he stated at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During Trip to India

Starmer has hailed a series of agreements finalized during his visit to India – his maiden visit there – joined by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The trip signifies the implementation of the countries' trade pact.

• The UK government has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from fintech to higher education facilities, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister finalized a military agreement worth £350 million for UK missiles, manufactured in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian military.

"The shared history is deep, the human connections between our people are truly special," Starmer said as he left the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this alliance for our era."

Digital Identification System Studied

The Prime Minister has spent time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for benefits, payments, and verification.

The prime minister hinted that the UK was considering broadening the application of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He proposed that the Britain would in time look at connecting it to banking and payments systems – on a optional basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as mortgage and school applications.

"It's been taken up on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it means that you can access your own money, make payments so much more conveniently than is available with others," he noted.

"The speed with which it enables citizens here to utilize facilities, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our discussions yesterday, and actually a financial technology conversation that we had as well. So we're examining those examples of how digital ID helps individuals with procedures that sometimes take excessive time and are too cumbersome and makes them easier for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the government had to make the case for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have declined sharply in public approval since Starmer announced them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the significant advantages ... And I think that the more people see the benefits that accompany this ... as has happened in different nations, citizens say: 'That will make my life easier,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer confirmed he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and relations with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made little headway. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi talked about how India was persisting to buy oil from Russia, which is facing 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 outlined the steps that we are undertaking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister additionally said he had raised the situation of the UK-based activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among UK nationals currently detained abroad.

However, he did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Indeed, we did raise the consular cases," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is meeting the families in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

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

That relationship is receiving attention because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that the country is deemed a threat.

The Prime Minister said the UK was eager to explore other trading relationships but emphasized 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 work together where we are able, challenge where we must, and that's been the ongoing approach of the government in relation to China."