🔗 Share this article

The Prime Minister has declared that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," but stopped short of endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Welcome Development to the Globe"

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had played its own role behind the scenes with the United States and negotiators.

Speaking on the final day of his business trip to India, the British leader stressed that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Answered

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should now grant Trump the prestigious prize, Starmer suggested that more time was needed to determine if a durable peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to move forward and execute this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that matters to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Revealed During India Visit

The Prime Minister has hailed a number of deals finalized during his tour to the country – his maiden visit there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The trip signifies the implementation of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, Starmer signed a defence deal worth £350 million for British-made missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian army.

"The shared history is profound, the human connections between our citizens are truly special," he said as he left the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this alliance for our era."

Digital ID System Examined

Starmer has spent time in Mumbai analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including consulting principal architects who designed the comprehensive platform used by more than 1 billion people for social services, payments, and identification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was considering broadening the application of digital identification beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He proposed that the Britain would eventually look at linking it to banking and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan and school applications.

"It's been taken up on a voluntary basis [in India] in huge numbers, partly because it ensures that you can retrieve your own money, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is available with others," he noted.

"The speed with which it enables citizens here to access services, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our talks yesterday, and in fact a financial technology discussion that we had as well. So we're looking at those examples of how digital identification helps people with procedures that sometimes take excessive time and are too cumbersome and makes them easier for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

Starmer admitted that the government had to build public support for the initiatives to the British public, which have declined sharply in popularity since he 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 benefits that come with this ... as has occurred in different nations, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and International Relations Addressed

The Prime Minister confirmed he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding human rights and ties with Russia, though he seemed to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Modi talked about how India was persisting to purchase Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on resolving this situation and the various steps will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a wide range of dialogue, but we did set out the actions that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

Starmer additionally said he had brought up the situation of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without undergoing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of injustice among UK nationals still held abroad.

However, Starmer did not suggest much advancement had been made. "Indeed, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the families in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

Starmer is widely expected to take a similar trade-focused visit to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a mission to ease relations between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide new proof that the country is deemed a security risk.

The Prime Minister said the UK was eager to pursue other trading relationships but stated that a trade deal with China was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to work together where we are able, confront where we must, and that's been the ongoing approach of the government in relation to China."