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The Prime Minister has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet avoided supporting the US president for a Nobel Prize.

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

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

Addressing the media on the final day of his business trip to India, the British leader stressed that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Inquiry Addressed

But, when asked if the Nobel committee should now grant Donald Trump the prestigious prize, the Prime Minister suggested that time was needed to determine if a durable peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to move forward and execute this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that matters to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has celebrated a series of agreements finalized during his tour to the country – his maiden visit there – accompanied by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The visit signifies the passing of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350 million for British-made missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian military.

"Our history together is profound, the personal ties between our people are truly special," Starmer said as he departed the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this alliance for our era."

Digital Identification System Examined

The Prime Minister has spent time in India analyzing the national digital identification program, including meeting key figures who developed the widespread system utilized by over a billion individuals for benefits, payments, and verification.

He suggested that the United Kingdom was considering broadening the application of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He proposed that the UK would eventually look at connecting it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

"It's been taken up on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it ensures that you can retrieve your own funds, make payments so much more conveniently than is possible with alternative methods," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it allows citizens here to access services, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our discussions recently, and in fact a financial technology conversation that we had today. So we're examining those instances of how digital ID assists individuals with processes that sometimes take excessive time and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Reforms

Starmer acknowledged that the administration had to make the case for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have declined sharply in public approval since he 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 occurred in different nations, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding human rights and ties with Russia, though he appeared to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how the country was persisting to buy Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on ending this conflict and the multiple measures will be taken to that purpose," he said. "And that was a broad spectrum of dialogue, but we did set out the steps that we are taking in relation to energy."

Starmer also mentioned he had brought up the situation of the UK-based activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without undergoing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of injustice among UK nationals currently detained overseas.

However, he did not suggest much advancement had been made. "Indeed, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is meeting the families in coming weeks, as well as discussing it today."

Future Plans

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a similar trade-focused trip to China in the next 12 months as part of a effort to improve diplomatic ties between the UK and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, said to have happened because the UK has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that the country is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister said the United Kingdom was keen 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 cooperate where we can, confront where we must, and that's been the ongoing approach of the government in relation to China."