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Keir Starmer has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet avoided endorsing the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

Truce Agreement Hailed as a "Relief to the Globe"

Starmer commented that the initial stage of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the UK had played its own role behind the scenes with the United States and negotiators.

Addressing the media on the last day of his business trip to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader emphasized that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, 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 grant Trump the coveted prize, the Prime Minister implied that time was needed to determine if a durable peace could be achieved.

"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 above all," he stated at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Announced During India Visit

Starmer has celebrated a series of agreements sealed during his tour to India – his maiden visit there – joined by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The trip signifies the passing of the countries' trade pact.

• No 10 has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On the final day, Starmer finalized a military agreement worth £350 million for British-made missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian army.

"Our history together is profound, the human connections between our people are exceptionally strong," he said as he departed the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this partnership for our era."

Digital ID Initiative Studied

The Prime Minister has spent time in Mumbai studying the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform utilized by more than 1 billion people for benefits, transactions, and identification.

The prime minister hinted that the UK was considering expanding the application of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the UK would in time look at linking it to financial and payments systems – on a optional basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and school applications.

"It's been taken up on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, partly because it ensures that you can retrieve your own funds, conduct transactions so much more easily than is possible with others," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to utilize facilities, especially financial services, is something that was recognized in our talks yesterday, and actually a financial technology conversation that we had as well. So we're looking at those examples of how digital ID helps individuals with processes that often 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 build public support for the reforms to the British public, which have declined sharply in popularity since Starmer announced them.

"In my view now we need to go out and advocate for the significant advantages ... And I think that the more people see the benefits that accompany this ... as has happened in different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding human rights and ties with Russia, though he seemed to have made little headway. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi talked about how India was persisting to purchase Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on resolving this conflict and the multiple measures will be implemented to that end," he said. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the actions that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister also mentioned he had raised the situation of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian jail for almost a decade without undergoing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among UK nationals still held abroad.

However, he did not indicate much progress had been achieved. "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 relatives in coming weeks, as well as discussing it now."

Future Plans

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a similar trade-focused trip to the People's Republic of 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 under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, said to have happened because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that the country is deemed a security risk.

Starmer said the United Kingdom was keen to pursue other trading relationships but stated that a trade deal with the nation was not currently planned. "It is not a priority, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to work together where we are able, confront where we must, and that's been the consistent policy of the government in relation to China."