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Keir Starmer has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," yet stopped short of endorsing the US president for a Nobel Prize.

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

The prime minister remarked that the first phase of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly in private discussions with the United States and negotiators.

Speaking on the last day of his business trip to India, Starmer emphasized that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and paired with the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Answered

However, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should now grant Donald Trump the coveted prize, Starmer suggested that time was needed to determine if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"The priority now is to press on and implement this ... my attention now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he stated at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Announced During India Visit

The Prime Minister has celebrated a series of agreements finalized during his visit to the country – his maiden visit there – joined by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The visit signifies the passing of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has announced a slew of investments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, Starmer finalized a military agreement worth £350 million for UK missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"Our history together is profound, the human connections between our citizens are exceptionally strong," Starmer remarked as he departed the city. "Building on our historic trade deal, we are reinventing this alliance for our times."

Digital ID System Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in India studying the Indian digital ID system, including consulting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform used by more than 1 billion people for benefits, transactions, and identification.

He suggested that the United Kingdom was considering broadening the application of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He proposed that the UK would in time look at linking it to banking and payments systems – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary 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 available with others," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to access services, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our talks yesterday, and in fact a Fintech discussion that we had as well. So we're looking at those instances of how digital ID assists individuals with processes that often take excessive time and are too cumbersome and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Changes

Starmer admitted 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 advocate for the significant advantages ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the benefits that accompany this ... as has happened in other countries, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and International Relations Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding human rights and ties with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made little headway. Starmer confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi talked about how India was persisting to purchase oil from Russia, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the priority on resolving this conflict and the various steps will be implemented to that end," he said. "This included a broad spectrum of discussion, but we outlined the steps that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally said he had raised the case of the UK-based activist the individual, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without facing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among Britons still held overseas.

However, he did not suggest much progress had been made. "Indeed, we did raise 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 discussing it now."

Future Plans

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

That relationship is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, said to have happened because the UK has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that China is considered a security risk.

The Prime Minister said the UK was keen to pursue additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with the nation was not currently planned. "It is not a priority, for a trade deal as such, but our position is to work together where we are able, challenge where we need to, and this has been the consistent policy of the administration in relation to China."