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The Prime Minister has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," but stopped short of endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

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

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted 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 the Indian subcontinent, Starmer stressed that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and paired with the immediate lifting of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Answered

However, when asked if the Nobel committee should at this time grant Trump the prestigious prize, Starmer suggested that more time was required to know if a durable peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to press on and implement this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that matters to me above all," he stated at a press conference in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Revealed During Trip to India

The Prime Minister has hailed a series of agreements sealed during his tour to India – his maiden visit there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The visit signifies the passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• No 10 has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister finalized a military agreement worth £350 million for UK missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"The shared history is profound, the personal ties between our citizens are exceptionally strong," he said as he departed Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our times."

Digital ID Initiative Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in India studying the Indian digital ID system, including consulting principal architects who developed the widespread system used by over a billion individuals for benefits, payments, and verification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in expanding the scope of digital identification beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK would eventually look at connecting it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and educational enrollments.

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

"The speed with which it allows residents here to utilize facilities, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions recently, and actually a Fintech conversation that we had today. So we're examining those instances of how digital ID assists people with procedures that often take excessive time and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Reforms

Starmer acknowledged that the government had to make the case for the initiatives to the British public, which have declined sharply in public approval since he proposed 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 make my life easier,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he stated.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer confirmed he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding civil liberties and ties with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made little headway. Starmer confirmed that he and Modi talked about how India was persisting to purchase oil from Russia, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on resolving this conflict and the various steps will be taken to that end," he said. "And that was a wide range of dialogue, but we outlined the steps that we are taking in regarding energy."

Starmer also mentioned he had raised the case of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian prison for almost a decade without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of injustice among UK nationals still held overseas.

However, he did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a comparable business-oriented 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 receiving attention because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide new proof that China is deemed a threat.

The Prime Minister clarified the United Kingdom was eager to explore additional commercial partnerships but stated that a commercial agreement 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 can, challenge where we need to, and this has been the consistent policy of the administration in regarding China."