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The Prime Minister has stated that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," yet stopped short of endorsing the US president for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Welcome Development to the World"

Starmer commented that the initial stage of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the US and mediators.

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 accompanied by the immediate lifting of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Addressed

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should now grant Donald Trump the coveted award, the Prime Minister implied that time was needed to know if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"The priority now is to press on and execute this ... my attention now is moving this from the phase it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me above all," he told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During Trip to India

Starmer has celebrated a series of agreements sealed during his visit to the country – his maiden visit there – joined by 126 business leaders and arts figures. The visit signifies the implementation of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350 million for UK missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian army.

"The shared history is profound, the human connections between our people are truly special," Starmer remarked as he left Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this alliance for our era."

Digital Identification Initiative Studied

The Prime Minister has spent time in Mumbai studying the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who designed the comprehensive platform used by over a billion individuals for benefits, transactions, and verification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the scope of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the UK would in time look at connecting it to financial and payments systems – on a optional basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and school applications.

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

"The speed with which it enables residents here to utilize facilities, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions yesterday, and in fact a financial technology discussion that we had as well. So we're looking at those examples of how digital ID assists individuals with processes that sometimes take too long and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

The Prime Minister admitted that the government had to build public support for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in public approval since Starmer proposed them.

"In my view now we need to go out and advocate for the huge benefits ... And I believe 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 therefore I want to get on with it," he stated.

Human Rights and International Relations Discussed

Starmer said he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding human rights and relations with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. He confirmed that he and Modi discussed how India was persisting to buy Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on resolving this situation and the various steps will be implemented to that end," he said. "And that was a broad spectrum of discussion, but we did set out the steps that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

Starmer additionally said he had brought up the situation of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without facing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of injustice among UK nationals still held abroad.

However, he did not indicate much progress had been made. "Indeed, we brought up the consular cases," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the relatives in the near future, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

The prime minister is widely expected to take a comparable trade-focused visit to China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to improve relations between the United Kingdom and China.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide new proof that China is deemed a security risk.

Starmer clarified the UK was eager to explore other trading relationships but stated that a trade deal with China was not on the agenda. "It is not a priority, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to work together where we are able, confront where we must, and this has been the consistent policy of the government in regarding China."