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The Prime Minister has asserted that the truce deal in Gaza "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," yet avoided supporting the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

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

The prime minister commented that the first phase of the deal 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 final day of his business trip to India, the British leader emphasized that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and paired with the immediate lifting of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Addressed

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

"What matters now is to move forward 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 more than anything else," he told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai.

Business Deals Announced During India Visit

The Prime Minister has hailed a series of agreements sealed during his tour to the country – his first time there – accompanied by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The visit signifies the implementation of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has announced a range of financial commitments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister finalized a defence deal worth £350 million for British-made missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian army.

"Our history together is deep, the personal ties between our people are truly special," he remarked as he departed the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our times."

Digital ID Initiative Studied

The Prime Minister has spent time in India studying the Indian digital ID system, including meeting key figures who designed the comprehensive platform utilized by more than 1 billion people for benefits, transactions, and identification.

The prime minister hinted that the UK was considering broadening the application of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the UK would in time look at connecting it to banking and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in huge numbers, partly because it means that you can retrieve your own funds, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is available with others," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it enables residents here to access services, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions recently, and actually a Fintech conversation that we had as well. So we're looking at those examples of how digital identification assists individuals with procedures that sometimes take excessive time and are too cumbersome and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Changes

The Prime Minister admitted that the administration had to build public support for the initiatives to the British public, which have declined sharply in popularity since Starmer proposed them.

"In my view now we need to go out and advocate for the significant advantages ... And I believe that the greater number of individuals see the benefits that come with this ... as has happened in different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and International Relations Discussed

The Prime Minister confirmed he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding human rights and ties with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Modi talked about how India was persisting to purchase oil from Russia, which is subject to extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on resolving this situation and the various steps will be taken to that end," he commented. "And that was a broad spectrum of discussion, but we outlined the steps that we are undertaking in regarding energy."

Starmer additionally mentioned he had raised the situation of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian jail for almost a decade without facing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among Britons still held overseas.

However, he did not suggest much advancement had been made. "Yes, we did raise the consular cases," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the relatives in the near future, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

The prime minister is widely expected to take a similar trade-focused trip to China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to improve diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the UK has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that the country is considered a security risk.

The Prime Minister said the UK was eager to pursue additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a trade deal with China was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to work together where we are able, confront where we need to, and that's been the ongoing approach of the government in regarding China."