🔗 Share this article

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

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Relief to the Globe"

Starmer commented that the initial stage of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the UK had played its own role in private discussions with the US and mediators.

Speaking on the last day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer emphasized that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without postponement, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Answered

However, when asked if the Nobel committee should now grant Trump the prestigious prize, Starmer implied that more time was needed to determine if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"The priority now is to move forward and implement this ... my attention now is transitioning this from the stage it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that matters to me above all," he told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During India Visit

The Prime Minister has celebrated a series of agreements sealed during his tour to India – his first time there – joined by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The trip signifies the passing of the countries' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from fintech to higher education facilities, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350m for UK missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian military.

"The shared history is deep, the personal ties between our citizens are truly special," Starmer said as he left Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this partnership for our era."

Digital ID System Examined

Starmer has dedicated time in India analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including meeting principal architects who developed the comprehensive platform used by over a billion individuals for social services, transactions, and identification.

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 Britain would eventually look at linking it to banking and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it means that you can access your own money, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is possible with others," he noted.

"The speed with which it enables residents here to utilize facilities, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions yesterday, and actually a Fintech discussion that we had today. So we're examining those instances of how digital identification assists individuals with procedures that often take too long and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Reforms

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the administration had to build public support for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have declined sharply in public approval since he proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and make that case the huge benefits ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the benefits that come with this ... as has occurred in other countries, citizens say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Addressed

The Prime Minister confirmed he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding human rights and ties with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. Starmer confirmed that he and Modi talked about how the country was persisting to buy Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on ending this situation and the multiple measures will be taken to that purpose," he said. "This included a broad spectrum of dialogue, but we did set out the steps that we are undertaking in regarding energy."

Starmer also said he had raised the case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been held 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, he did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Indeed, we brought up the consular cases," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister 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 diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the UK has been reluctant to provide new proof that the country is deemed a security risk.

Starmer said the UK was keen to pursue additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a trade deal with China was not on the agenda. "It is not a priority, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we can, confront where we need to, and that's been the consistent policy of the administration in regarding China."