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The Prime Minister has asserted that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet stopped short of supporting the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

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

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the UK had played its own role in private discussions with the United States and mediators.

Speaking on the final day of his business trip to India, Starmer stressed that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and paired with the immediate lifting of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Addressed

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

"What matters now is to move forward and implement this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the stage it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me above all," he told reporters at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Announced During Trip to India

The Prime Minister has hailed a number of deals sealed during his visit to India – his maiden visit there – joined by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The trip signifies the passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• No 10 has announced a range of financial commitments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, Starmer signed a defence deal worth £350m for British-made missiles, produced in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"Our history together is deep, the human connections between our people are truly special," he said as he departed the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our era."

Digital ID System Studied

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

The prime minister hinted that the UK was interested in expanding the application of digital identification beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the Britain would in time look at connecting it to banking and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in huge numbers, not least because it ensures that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more conveniently than is available with alternative methods," he noted.

"The speed with which it enables citizens here to utilize facilities, especially banking options, is something that was recognized in our discussions yesterday, and in fact a financial technology conversation that we had as well. So we're looking at those instances of how digital ID assists people with procedures that often take too long and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Reforms

The Prime Minister admitted that the government had to make the case for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have plummeted 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 come with this ... as has occurred in other countries, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and International Relations Discussed

The Prime Minister said he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and relations with Russia, though he seemed to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how India was persisting to purchase oil from Russia, which is subject to extensive international restrictions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on ending this conflict and the various steps will be implemented to that end," he said. "This included a wide range of dialogue, but we outlined the actions that we are taking in relation to energy."

Starmer also said he had brought up the situation of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian jail for almost a decade without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among UK nationals still held abroad.

However, he did not suggest much progress had been made. "Yes, we did raise the consular cases," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is meeting the families in the near future, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

The prime minister is widely expected to take a similar business-oriented visit to the People's Republic of China in the next 12 months 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 Chinese spying case, said to have happened because the UK has been unwilling to provide new proof that China is considered a security risk.

The Prime Minister said the UK was eager to explore additional commercial partnerships but stated that a trade deal with the nation was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to cooperate where we are able, confront where we must, and this has been the ongoing approach of the government in relation to China."