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The Prime Minister has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," but avoided endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Relief to the Globe"

The prime minister commented that the first phase of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had played its own role in private discussions with the United States and mediators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his trade visit to India, the British leader stressed that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and paired with the prompt removal of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Answered

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

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

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

The Prime Minister has celebrated a number of deals finalized during his visit to India – his maiden visit there – accompanied by 126 business leaders and arts figures. The visit marks the passing of the countries' trade pact.

• The UK government 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 Thursday, Starmer finalized a defence deal worth £350 million for UK missiles, manufactured in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"The shared history is profound, the personal ties between our citizens are exceptionally strong," Starmer remarked as he left Mumbai. "Building on our historic trade deal, we are reinventing this alliance for our era."

Digital Identification Initiative Examined

The Prime Minister has spent time in India analyzing the national digital identification program, including meeting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for benefits, payments, and verification.

He hinted that the UK was considering broadening the application of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the Britain would in time look at connecting it to financial and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

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

"The efficiency with which it enables citizens here to access services, especially banking options, is something that was recognized in our discussions yesterday, and actually a Fintech conversation that we had today. So we're looking at those instances of how digital ID helps individuals with procedures that sometimes take excessive time and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Changes

Starmer acknowledged that the government had to make the case for the reforms to the UK citizens, 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 believe that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has occurred in other countries, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Discussed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding civil liberties and ties with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made little headway. Starmer acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi talked about how the country was continuing to buy oil from Russia, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on resolving this conflict and the multiple measures will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a broad spectrum 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 case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without undergoing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of injustice among Britons still held abroad.

However, he did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Indeed, we brought up the consular cases," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is meeting the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a similar business-oriented trip to China in the coming year as part of a mission to improve diplomatic ties between the UK and China.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that the country is deemed a security risk.

The Prime Minister said the United Kingdom was eager to pursue other trading relationships but stated that a trade deal with the nation was not on the agenda. "It is not a priority, for a trade deal as such, but our position is to work together where we are able, challenge where we need to, and that's been the consistent policy of the government in regarding China."