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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 American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

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

Starmer commented that the first phase of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the United Kingdom had played its own role behind the scenes with the US and mediators.

Speaking on the final day of his business trip to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader stressed that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and paired with the prompt removal of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Addressed

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should at this time grant Donald Trump the coveted award, the Prime Minister suggested that more time was needed to determine if a durable peace could be attained.

"The priority now is to press on and implement this ... my attention now is moving this from the phase it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that matters to me above all," he stated at a press conference in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

The Prime Minister has hailed a number of deals finalized during his visit to India – his first time there – joined by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The trip 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 making of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, Starmer finalized a military agreement worth £350 million for British-made missiles, produced in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"The shared history is deep, the human connections between our people are exceptionally strong," Starmer remarked as he left the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this partnership for our times."

Digital ID Initiative Examined

Starmer has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including meeting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform used by over a billion individuals for benefits, transactions, and identification.

He hinted that the UK was considering expanding the scope of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the UK would eventually look at linking it to financial and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it means that you can access your own funds, conduct transactions so much more easily than is possible with alternative methods," he explained.

"The speed with which it allows residents here to utilize facilities, especially banking options, is something that was recognized in our discussions recently, and actually a Fintech conversation that we had today. So we're looking at those instances of how digital identification helps individuals with processes that sometimes take too long and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the government had to make the case for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in popularity since Starmer announced them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the significant advantages ... And I believe that the greater number of individuals see the benefits that come with this ... as has happened in other countries, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and International Relations Discussed

Starmer said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian premier regarding human rights and relations with Russia, though he appeared to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how the country was persisting to purchase Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on ending this conflict and the multiple measures will be implemented to that end," he commented. "This included a wide range of dialogue, but we did set out the steps that we are taking in relation to energy."

Starmer also said 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 undergoing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among UK nationals still held overseas.

But, he did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the families in the near future, as well as raising it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is widely expected to take a similar business-oriented visit to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a mission to improve diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the UK has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that the country is deemed a threat.

Starmer clarified the United Kingdom 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 position is to cooperate where we can, challenge where we need to, and that's been the ongoing approach of the government in regarding China."