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The Prime Minister has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," but stopped short of supporting the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Welcome Development to the Globe"

Starmer remarked that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and noted that the UK had contributed significantly in private discussions with the US and mediators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer emphasized that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Addressed

However, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should at this time award Donald Trump the prestigious prize, Starmer suggested that time was needed to determine if a durable peace could be achieved.

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

Business Deals Announced During India Visit

Starmer has hailed a number of deals finalized during his tour to India – his maiden visit there – joined by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The visit marks the passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• The UK government has announced a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, Starmer signed a military agreement worth £350 million for British-made missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian army.

"Our history together is deep, the personal ties between our people are truly special," Starmer said as he left Mumbai. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are remaking this partnership for our times."

Digital ID System Examined

Starmer has spent time in Mumbai analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including consulting key figures who designed the widespread system utilized by over a billion individuals for social services, payments, and identification.

The prime minister hinted that the UK was considering expanding the application of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the UK would in time look at connecting it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, partly because it ensures that you can access your own funds, conduct transactions so much more easily than is possible with alternative methods," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to access services, especially banking options, is something that was recognized in our talks yesterday, and in fact a financial technology discussion that we had today. So we're examining those examples of how digital identification assists individuals with procedures that often take excessive time and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Changes

Starmer acknowledged that the administration had to build public support for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in popularity since Starmer announced them.

"In my view now we need to go out and make that case the significant advantages ... And I believe that the more people see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has occurred in other countries, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and International Relations Discussed

The Prime Minister confirmed he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding civil liberties and relations with Russia, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi talked about how the country was continuing to buy oil from Russia, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on resolving this conflict and the multiple measures will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we did set out the actions that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

Starmer additionally mentioned he had raised the situation of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian jail for almost a decade without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of injustice among Britons still held overseas.

But, Starmer did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Indeed, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is meeting the families in the near future, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

The prime minister is widely expected to take a comparable business-oriented visit to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a effort to improve diplomatic ties between the UK and China.

That relationship is under the spotlight 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 clarified the UK was keen to explore additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with the nation was not on the agenda. "It is not a priority, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to cooperate where we are able, confront where we must, and this has been the ongoing approach of the government in regarding China."