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

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

Starmer commented that the first phase of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and noted that the United Kingdom had played its own role in private discussions with the United States and negotiators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his trade visit to India, the British leader emphasized that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and paired with the immediate lifting of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Answered

But, when asked if the Nobel committee should at this time award Donald Trump the coveted award, Starmer implied that time was needed to know if a durable peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to press on and implement this ... my attention now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Announced During India Visit

The Prime Minister has hailed a number of deals sealed during his visit to the country – his maiden visit there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The trip signifies the passing of the countries' trade pact.

• No 10 has announced a slew of investments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350 million for UK missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian army.

"Our history together is profound, the personal ties between our citizens are exceptionally strong," he remarked as he left Mumbai. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our era."

Digital Identification Initiative Studied

Starmer has spent time in India studying the Indian digital ID system, including meeting principal architects who developed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for social services, payments, and identification.

He suggested that the UK was considering broadening the scope of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at linking it to financial and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan 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 funds, make payments so much more conveniently than is available with alternative methods," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to access services, particularly banking options, is something that was recognized in our talks recently, and in fact a Fintech conversation that we had today. So we're looking at those instances of how digital ID helps people with procedures that sometimes take excessive time and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Changes

Starmer admitted that the administration had to make the case for the initiatives to the British public, which have declined sharply in public approval since he proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and make that case the significant advantages ... And I believe that the more people see the positive outcomes that come with this ... as has happened in other countries, citizens say: 'That will make my life easier,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and International Relations Addressed

Starmer 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 little headway. He confirmed that he and Modi talked about how the country was persisting to purchase oil from Russia, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on resolving this situation and the multiple measures will be implemented to that purpose," he said. "And that was a wide range of dialogue, but we outlined the actions that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister also mentioned he had brought up the situation of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without undergoing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of injustice among UK nationals still held abroad.

However, he did not suggest much progress had been made. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the families in coming weeks, as well as discussing it now."

Future Plans

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a comparable business-oriented trip to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a mission to ease relations between the UK and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the UK has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that the country is deemed a security risk.

Starmer said the UK was keen to explore other trading relationships but emphasized that a trade deal with China was not currently planned. "It is not a priority, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to work together where we are able, confront where we must, and that's been the ongoing approach of the administration in relation to China."