Starmer Praises President Trump's Gaza Truce Deal – But Stops Short of Peace Prize Backing

The Prime Minister has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "would not have occurred without the leadership of Donald Trump," but avoided endorsing the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Relief to the Globe"

Starmer remarked that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the United States and mediators.

Addressing the media on the last day of his trade visit to India, Starmer stressed that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and paired with the immediate lifting of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Addressed

However, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should at this time award Trump the coveted prize, Starmer suggested that more time was needed to determine if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"What matters now is to move forward and execute this ... my attention now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me above all," he stated at a press conference in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Revealed During Trip to India

The Prime Minister has celebrated 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 passing of the countries' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister signed a military agreement worth £350m 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 people are truly special," he remarked as he departed the city. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are reinventing this partnership for our times."

Digital Identification System Studied

The Prime Minister has spent time in Mumbai analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including meeting principal architects who developed the widespread system used by over a billion individuals for social services, transactions, and identification.

The prime minister hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the application of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He proposed that the Britain would in time look at linking it to financial and payments systems – on a optional 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, conduct transactions so much more easily than is available with others," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it allows citizens here to utilize facilities, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our discussions yesterday, and in fact a financial technology discussion that we had as well. So we're looking at those examples of how digital ID assists individuals with processes that sometimes take excessive time and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the government had to build public support for the reforms to the British public, which have plummeted in public approval since he announced them.

"In my view now we need to go out and advocate for the huge benefits ... And I believe that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has occurred in different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and International Relations Addressed

Starmer said 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 acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how India was continuing to buy oil from Russia, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on resolving this conflict and the multiple measures will be implemented to that end," he said. "This included a wide range of dialogue, but we outlined the steps that we are undertaking in regarding energy."

Starmer additionally mentioned he had brought up the situation of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian prison for almost a decade without undergoing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among UK nationals currently detained abroad.

However, he did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Yes, we brought up the diplomatic matters," 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 today."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is widely expected to take a comparable trade-focused trip to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a mission to ease relations between the United Kingdom and China.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide new proof that the country is deemed a security risk.

The Prime Minister clarified the United Kingdom was eager to pursue other trading relationships but stated that a commercial agreement with China was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to work together where we can, confront where we need to, and this has been the ongoing approach of the government in relation to China."