Keir Starmer Applauds Trump's Gaza Ceasefire Deal – However Stops Short of Peace Prize Endorsement

Keir Starmer has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "would not have occurred without the leadership of Donald Trump," but avoided endorsing the US president for a Nobel Prize.

Truce Agreement Hailed as a "Welcome Development to the Globe"

The prime minister commented that the first phase of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and noted that the UK had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the US and negotiators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his trade visit 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 life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Inquiry Answered

However, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should at this time award Donald Trump the coveted prize, the Prime Minister implied that time was required to know if a durable peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to press on and execute this ... my attention now is transitioning this from the stage it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me above all," he told reporters at a press conference in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

The Prime Minister has hailed a number of deals sealed during his visit to India – his maiden visit there – accompanied by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The visit signifies the implementation of the countries' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has announced a slew of investments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On Thursday, Starmer finalized a defence deal worth £350 million for UK missiles, produced in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"The shared history is profound, the human connections between our citizens are exceptionally strong," he said as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are remaking this partnership for our times."

Digital Identification System Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who designed the comprehensive platform used by over a billion individuals for social services, transactions, and verification.

The prime minister suggested that the UK was considering broadening the application of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at linking it to banking and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in huge numbers, not least because it ensures that you can access your own money, make payments so much more easily than is available with others," he explained.

"The speed with which it enables residents here to access services, especially banking options, is something that was recognized in our discussions recently, and actually a Fintech conversation that we had as well. So we're examining those instances of how digital ID helps individuals with procedures that sometimes take too long and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Reforms

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the administration had to make the case for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in popularity since Starmer proposed them.

"In my view now we need to go out and make that case the significant advantages ... And I believe that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has happened in different nations, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding human rights and ties with Russia, though he seemed to have made little headway. Starmer acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how the country was persisting to purchase oil from Russia, which is subject to extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on resolving this conflict and the various steps will be taken to that purpose," he said. "This included a wide range of dialogue, but we did set out the actions that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister also said he had brought up the case of the UK-based activist the individual, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among Britons still held overseas.

However, he did not indicate much progress had been made. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," 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 coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

The prime minister is widely expected to take a similar business-oriented trip to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a mission to ease diplomatic ties between the UK and the Asian nation.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide new proof that the country is considered a threat.

Starmer clarified the UK was keen to explore other trading relationships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with China was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal as such, but our position is to work together where we are able, challenge where we must, and that's been the consistent policy of the government in relation to China."