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

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

The prime minister commented that the initial stage 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 US and mediators.

Addressing the media on the last day of his business trip to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer emphasized that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and paired with the immediate lifting of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Inquiry Answered

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should at this time grant Trump the coveted award, the Prime Minister implied that more time was required to determine if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"The priority now is to move forward and execute this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the phase 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 Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During Trip to India

Starmer has celebrated a number of deals sealed during his visit to India – his maiden visit there – joined by 126 business leaders and arts figures. The trip marks the passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• The UK government has announced a slew of investments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, Starmer finalized a defence deal worth £350 million for British-made missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian military.

"Our history together is deep, the human connections between our citizens are truly special," he remarked as he left Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this alliance for our era."

Digital Identification Initiative Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in India analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including consulting key figures who designed the comprehensive platform utilized by more than 1 billion people for social services, payments, and identification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in expanding the scope of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the UK would eventually look at linking it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and school applications.

"It's been taken up on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it means that you can access your own money, make payments so much more easily than is possible with others," he noted.

"The speed 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 Fintech conversation that we had as well. So we're examining those examples of how digital ID assists people with procedures that often take excessive time and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Changes

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the government had to make the case for the reforms to the British public, which have plummeted in popularity since he announced them.

"I think now we need to go out and make that case the significant advantages ... And I think that the more people see the benefits that accompany this ... as has occurred in different nations, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer confirmed he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding human rights and relations with Russia, though he appeared to have made little headway. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how India was continuing to purchase Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on ending this conflict and the multiple measures will be implemented to that end," he commented. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the actions that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally said he had brought up the case of the UK-based activist the individual, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian jail for almost a decade without facing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among Britons still held abroad.

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

Future Plans

The prime minister is widely expected to take a similar business-oriented trip to China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to ease relations between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

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 security risk.

Starmer said the United Kingdom was keen to explore additional commercial partnerships but stated that a trade deal with the nation was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we are able, confront where we need to, and this has been the ongoing approach of the administration in relation to China."