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Keir Starmer has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," but stopped short of endorsing the US president for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Relief to the Globe"

Starmer commented that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and noted that the United Kingdom had played its own role in private discussions with the US and mediators.

Speaking on the last day of his business trip to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer stressed that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without postponement, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Inquiry Addressed

But, when asked if the Nobel committee should at this time grant Donald Trump the coveted award, the Prime Minister implied that time was needed to determine if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"The priority now is to move forward and execute 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 more than anything else," he told reporters at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

The Prime Minister has hailed a series of agreements finalized during his tour to India – his maiden visit there – joined by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The trip signifies the implementation of the countries' trade pact.

• The UK government has announced a range of financial commitments, from fintech to higher education facilities, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister finalized a defence deal worth £350 million for British-made missiles, manufactured in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"Our history together is profound, the human connections between our people are truly special," Starmer remarked as he left the city. "Building on our historic trade deal, we are remaking this partnership for our era."

Digital Identification System Studied

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including meeting principal architects who designed the comprehensive platform used by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and identification.

The prime minister suggested that the United Kingdom was considering expanding the scope of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the Britain 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, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is possible with alternative methods," he noted.

"The speed with which it allows citizens here to access services, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions recently, and actually a Fintech conversation that we had today. So we're looking at those instances of how digital identification assists individuals with processes that sometimes take excessive time and are too cumbersome and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Changes

Starmer acknowledged that the government had to make the case for the reforms to the British public, which have plummeted in popularity since he proposed them.

"In my view now we need to go out and advocate for the significant advantages ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has happened in other countries, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding human rights and relations with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. He acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how the country was continuing to purchase oil from Russia, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on resolving this situation and the various steps will be taken to that purpose," he said. "This included a wide range of discussion, but we did set out the actions that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally said he had brought up the situation of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without undergoing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of injustice among UK nationals still held overseas.

But, Starmer did not suggest much advancement had been made. "Indeed, we did raise the consular cases," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is meeting the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is widely expected to take a comparable business-oriented visit to the People's Republic of China in the next 12 months as part of a effort to ease relations between the UK and the Asian nation.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that China is considered a threat.

Starmer said the UK was eager to explore additional commercial partnerships but stated that a commercial agreement with the nation was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we are able, confront where we need to, and that's been the ongoing approach of the government in regarding China."