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Keir Starmer has declared that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," yet stopped short of supporting the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

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

Starmer remarked that the initial stage of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly in private discussions with the United States and negotiators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his trade visit to India, the British leader stressed that the deal "must now be implemented in full, without postponement, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Answered

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

"The priority now is to press on 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 stated at a press conference in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During Trip to India

Starmer has hailed a series of agreements sealed during his visit to the country – his maiden visit there – accompanied by 126 business leaders and arts figures. The trip signifies the passing of the countries' trade pact.

• The UK government has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, Starmer finalized a military agreement worth £350m for British-made missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian military.

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

Digital ID System Examined

Starmer has spent time in India analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who designed the comprehensive platform used by over a billion individuals for social services, payments, and verification.

The prime minister hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the application of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at linking it to financial and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in huge numbers, not least because it ensures that you can retrieve your own funds, make payments so much more conveniently than is available with alternative methods," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it enables citizens here to utilize facilities, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our discussions yesterday, and in fact a financial technology conversation that we had today. So we're looking at those instances of how digital ID helps individuals with procedures that sometimes take too long and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

The Prime Minister admitted that the administration had to make the case for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in popularity since he announced them.

"I think now we need to go out and make that case the huge benefits ... And I think that the more people see the benefits that come with this ... as has occurred in different nations, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and International Relations Discussed

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

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the priority on resolving this situation and the various steps will be taken to that end," he said. "This included a wide range of dialogue, but we outlined the steps that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister also mentioned he had brought up the case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without undergoing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among Britons currently detained overseas.

But, he did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Yes, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is meeting the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

The prime minister is largely anticipated to take a comparable trade-focused trip to China in the coming year as part of a mission to ease 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 British authorities has been reluctant to provide new proof that the country is deemed a security risk.

Starmer clarified the UK was keen to explore additional commercial partnerships but stated that a commercial agreement with the nation was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, 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 administration in relation to China."