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The Prime Minister has asserted that the truce deal in Gaza "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," but stopped short of supporting the US president for a Nobel Prize.

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

Starmer remarked that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the UK had played its own role in private discussions with the US and mediators.

Speaking on the last day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer stressed that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Inquiry Answered

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should now award Donald Trump the coveted prize, the Prime Minister suggested that more time was needed to know if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to press on and execute this ... my focus now is moving this from the phase 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.

Trade and Investment Revealed During Trip to India

The Prime Minister has hailed a number of deals finalized during his tour to the country – his first time there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The visit marks the implementation of the countries' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from fintech to higher education facilities, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, Starmer signed a military agreement worth £350 million for British-made missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian army.

"Our history together is profound, the human connections between our citizens are exceptionally strong," he remarked as he left Mumbai. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are remaking this alliance for our times."

Digital Identification Initiative Studied

The Prime Minister has spent time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including meeting key figures who developed the widespread system used by more than 1 billion people for social services, payments, and verification.

He suggested that the United Kingdom was considering broadening the scope of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the Britain would eventually look at linking it to banking and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

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

"The speed with which it allows citizens here to access services, especially banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions recently, and actually a Fintech discussion that we had as well. So we're looking at those examples of how digital identification assists individuals with procedures that sometimes take too long 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 UK citizens, which have plummeted in public approval since Starmer proposed them.

"In my view now we need to go out and advocate for the significant advantages ... And I believe that the more people see the benefits that come with this ... as has happened in other countries, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Addressed

Starmer said he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding human rights and relations with Russia, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. He confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how India was persisting to buy Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on ending this situation and the multiple measures will be taken to that end," he said. "This included a broad spectrum of discussion, but we outlined the actions that we are taking in relation to energy."

Starmer additionally said he had raised the case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian jail for almost a decade without undergoing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among UK nationals currently detained abroad.

However, Starmer did not indicate much progress had been achieved. "Yes, we did raise the consular cases," he said. "We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the families in coming weeks, as well as raising it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer 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 effort to improve diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the UK has been unwilling to provide new proof that the country is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister said the United Kingdom was eager to explore additional commercial partnerships but stated that a commercial agreement with the nation was not on the agenda. "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 this has been the ongoing approach of the administration in regarding China."