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Keir Starmer has stated that the truce deal in Gaza "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," but avoided supporting the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

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

The prime minister commented that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly in private discussions with the United States and mediators.

Addressing the media on the last day of his trade visit to India, Starmer stressed that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without postponement, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Answered

However, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should at this time grant Trump the prestigious prize, Starmer implied that more time was needed to know if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to move forward and implement 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 above all," he told reporters at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has hailed a number of deals finalized during his tour to India – his maiden visit there – joined by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The visit marks the implementation of the countries' trade pact.

• No 10 has announced a slew of investments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister finalized a defence deal worth £350 million for British-made missiles, manufactured in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"Our history together is deep, the personal ties between our people are exceptionally strong," he remarked as he departed the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this partnership for our era."

Digital Identification System Studied

Starmer has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who designed the widespread system utilized by over a billion individuals for social services, payments, and identification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the scope of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the Britain would eventually look at connecting it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures 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 ensures that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more easily than is possible with alternative methods," he explained.

"The speed with which it enables citizens here to utilize facilities, especially banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions recently, and in fact a Fintech discussion that we had today. So we're examining those examples of how digital ID helps individuals with processes that often take excessive time and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Reforms

Starmer admitted that the government had to make the case for the reforms to the British public, which have declined sharply in public approval since Starmer proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the huge benefits ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has occurred in different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and International Relations Addressed

The Prime Minister confirmed he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and relations with Russia, though he seemed to have made little headway. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how the country was persisting to buy oil from Russia, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on ending 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 actions that we are undertaking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister also mentioned he had brought up the case of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without undergoing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among Britons still held overseas.

But, he did not indicate much progress had been achieved. "Indeed, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he said. "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 widely expected to take a similar trade-focused visit to China in the coming year as part of a effort to ease diplomatic ties between the UK and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide new proof that China is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister said the UK was eager to pursue additional commercial partnerships but stated that a commercial agreement with the nation was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to work together where we are able, challenge where we need to, and that's been the ongoing approach of the government in regarding China."