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

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Relief to the World"

Starmer commented that the first phase of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had played its own role in private discussions with the United States and mediators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his business trip to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer emphasized 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."

Peace Prize Question Addressed

However, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should now grant Donald Trump the prestigious award, the Prime Minister suggested that more time was required to determine if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"The priority now is to move forward and execute this ... my attention now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me above all," he stated at a press conference in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During Trip to India

Starmer has celebrated a number of deals sealed during his tour to India – his maiden visit there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The visit signifies the implementation of the two nations' trade pact.

• No 10 has announced a slew of investments, from fintech to higher education facilities, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350m for UK missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"Our history together is deep, the human connections between our citizens are truly special," Starmer said as he left Mumbai. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our times."

Digital ID Initiative Studied

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in India analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including meeting principal architects who designed the comprehensive platform used by more than 1 billion people for social services, transactions, and verification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in expanding the application of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He proposed that the Britain would eventually look at connecting it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and school applications.

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

"The speed with which it enables residents here to access services, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our discussions recently, and in fact a financial technology discussion that we had today. So we're looking at those instances of how digital ID assists people with processes that sometimes take too long and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Reforms

Starmer admitted that the government had to build public support for the initiatives to the British public, 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 come with this ... as has happened in other countries, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Discussed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and ties with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Modi talked about how the country was continuing to purchase oil from Russia, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the priority on ending this conflict and the various steps 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 undertaking in regarding energy."

Starmer additionally mentioned he had brought up the situation of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian jail for almost a decade without facing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among UK nationals still held abroad.

However, he did not suggest much progress had been made. "Indeed, we brought up the consular cases," he said. "We always raise them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is meeting the relatives in the near future, as well as discussing it now."

Future Plans

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a comparable business-oriented trip to China in the coming year as part of a effort to ease diplomatic ties between the UK and China.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, said to have happened because the UK has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is deemed a threat.

Starmer said the UK was keen to explore other trading relationships but stated that a commercial agreement with the nation was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we are able, confront where we must, and this has been the consistent policy of the administration in relation to China."