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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 "Relief to the Globe"

The prime minister commented that the initial stage of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and noted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the US and negotiators.

Speaking on the final day of his trade visit to India, Starmer emphasized that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without postponement, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Addressed

But, when questioned if the Nobel committee should now award Trump the prestigious award, the Prime Minister suggested that time was required to determine if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"The priority now is to move forward and execute this ... my attention now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Revealed During India Visit

The Prime Minister has celebrated a number of deals sealed during his tour to the country – his first time there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The visit marks the implementation of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has unveiled a range of financial commitments, 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 defence deal worth £350 million for UK missiles, produced in the UK region, to be used by the Indian military.

"The shared history is profound, the personal ties between our people are exceptionally strong," Starmer remarked as he left the city. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are reinventing this alliance for our times."

Digital Identification Initiative Examined

Starmer has spent time in Mumbai studying the national digital identification program, including meeting principal architects who designed the comprehensive platform used by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and verification.

The prime minister suggested that the United Kingdom was considering expanding the scope of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the Britain would in time look at linking it to banking and transaction networks – 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 huge numbers, not least because it means that you can retrieve your own funds, make payments so much more conveniently than is available with others," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it allows citizens here to utilize facilities, especially financial services, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions recently, and actually a financial technology conversation that we had as well. So we're examining those instances of how digital identification assists people with processes that sometimes take too long and are too cumbersome and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Changes

Starmer acknowledged that the administration had to build public support for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have declined sharply in public approval since he proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and make that case 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, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and International Relations Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and ties with Russia, though he appeared to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how the country was continuing to purchase Russian oil, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on ending this situation and the various steps will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we did set out the steps that we are taking in regarding energy."

Starmer additionally said he had raised the situation of the UK-based activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian prison for almost a decade without facing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among Britons still held overseas.

But, Starmer did not suggest much advancement had been made. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he said. "We always raise them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the relatives in the near future, as well as discussing it now."

Future Plans

Starmer is widely expected to take a similar business-oriented trip to China in the next 12 months as part of a effort to ease diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that the country is deemed a security risk.

Starmer said the UK was keen to pursue additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with the nation was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal 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 relation to China."