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The Prime Minister has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," but avoided supporting the US president for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Relief to the Globe"

The prime minister commented that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and noted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly in private discussions with the United States and negotiators.

Speaking on the final day of his business trip to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader stressed that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Answered

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should now grant Trump the coveted prize, the Prime Minister implied that more time was required to determine if a durable peace could be achieved.

"The priority now is to press on and execute this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that matters to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a press conference in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Revealed During Trip to India

Starmer has celebrated a number of deals finalized during his tour to India – his first time there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The visit marks the implementation of the countries' trade pact.

• The UK government has announced a range of financial commitments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On Thursday, Starmer finalized a defence deal worth £350m for UK missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"The shared history is deep, the human connections between our people are truly special," he said as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this partnership for our times."

Digital ID Initiative Examined

The Prime Minister has spent time in Mumbai studying the Indian digital ID system, including meeting key figures who designed the widespread system utilized by over a billion individuals for benefits, payments, and verification.

The prime minister suggested that the United Kingdom was considering expanding the application of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at linking 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 massive scale, partly because it ensures that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more conveniently than is possible with others," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it enables residents here to utilize facilities, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our talks recently, and actually a Fintech discussion that we had as well. So we're looking at those instances of how digital ID helps people with procedures that sometimes take too long and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

Starmer acknowledged that the administration had to make the case for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in popularity since Starmer announced them.

"In my view now we need to go out and make that case the huge benefits ... And I think that the more people see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has happened in different nations, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Addressed

Starmer confirmed he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian premier regarding human rights and ties with Russia, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. He confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi talked about how the country was continuing to purchase Russian oil, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on resolving this situation and the multiple measures will be taken to that purpose," he said. "And that was a broad spectrum of dialogue, but we outlined the steps that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally mentioned he had brought up the case of the British Sikh 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 worst examples of injustice among Britons currently detained abroad.

However, Starmer did not suggest much progress had been made. "Yes, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the families in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a comparable trade-focused trip to China in the next 12 months as part of a effort to ease diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and China.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the dismissal 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.

The Prime Minister said the United Kingdom was keen to explore other trading relationships but stated that a commercial agreement with China 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 can, challenge where we need to, and this has been the consistent policy of the administration in regarding China."