Starmer Applauds President Trump's Gaza Ceasefire Deal – But Stops Short of Peace Prize Endorsement

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

Truce Agreement Welcomed as a "Welcome Development to the Globe"

Starmer commented that the first phase of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had played its own role behind the scenes with the US and mediators.

Speaking on the last day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer stressed that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and paired with the immediate lifting of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Answered

However, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should now award Trump the coveted award, the Prime Minister implied that more time was required to determine if a durable peace could be achieved.

"The priority now is to move forward and implement this ... my focus now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai.

Business Deals Announced During India Visit

The Prime Minister has celebrated a series of agreements sealed during his visit to India – his maiden visit there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The trip signifies the implementation of the countries' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has unveiled a slew of investments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister finalized a defence deal worth £350m for British-made missiles, produced 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," he remarked as he left the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this alliance for our era."

Digital ID Initiative Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in India analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who designed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for benefits, transactions, and identification.

The prime minister hinted that the UK was interested in broadening the scope of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the Britain would eventually look at linking it to financial and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

"It's been taken up on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, partly because it means that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more easily than is possible with alternative methods," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it enables citizens here to access services, particularly financial services, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions yesterday, and actually a financial technology conversation that we had as well. So we're looking at those instances of how digital ID assists people with procedures that often take excessive time and are too cumbersome and makes them easier for them."

Popular Backing for Reforms

Starmer admitted that the administration had to build public support for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have plummeted 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 come with this ... as has occurred in other countries, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer confirmed he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian premier regarding human rights and ties with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made little headway. He confirmed that he and Modi discussed how India was continuing to purchase Russian oil, which is subject to extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on resolving this situation and the various steps will be taken to that purpose," he said. "And that was a broad spectrum of discussion, but we did set out the steps that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister also mentioned he had raised the situation of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian prison 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.

However, he did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Yes, we brought up the consular cases," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the relatives in the near future, as well as discussing it now."

Future Plans

The prime minister is largely anticipated to take a comparable trade-focused visit to China in the coming year as part of a effort to ease diplomatic ties 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 UK has been unwilling to provide new proof that the country is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister clarified the UK was keen to explore other trading relationships but emphasized that a trade deal with China was not currently planned. "It is not a priority, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to work together where we can, confront where we need to, and this has been the ongoing approach of the administration in regarding China."