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Keir Starmer has asserted 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 Prize.

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

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

Speaking on the final day of his trade visit to India, Starmer stressed that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Addressed

But, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should at this time award Donald Trump the prestigious award, Starmer implied that time was required to know if a durable peace could be attained.

"The priority now is to move forward and execute this ... my focus now is moving 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 media briefing in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Announced During Trip to India

Starmer has celebrated a series of agreements finalized during his tour to India – his first time there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The trip marks the passing of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister finalized a defence deal worth £350m for UK missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"The shared history is deep, the human connections between our citizens are truly special," he said as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are remaking this alliance for our times."

Digital ID System Studied

Starmer has dedicated time in Mumbai studying the national digital identification program, including meeting principal architects who developed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for social services, transactions, and identification.

He suggested that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the scope of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at connecting it to banking and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage 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, make payments so much more conveniently than is available with alternative methods," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to access services, especially banking options, is something that was recognized in our discussions yesterday, and actually a Fintech discussion that we had today. So we're looking at 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 Changes

The Prime Minister admitted that the administration had to make the case for the initiatives to the British public, which have plummeted in popularity since he announced them.

"I think 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 occurred in different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer confirmed he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding civil liberties and relations with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made little headway. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi talked about how the country was continuing to purchase Russian oil, which is subject to extensive international restrictions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on resolving this conflict and the various steps will be taken to that end," he said. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the actions that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

Starmer additionally said he had raised the situation of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without facing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among UK nationals still held overseas.

However, Starmer did not suggest much advancement had been made. "Indeed, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the families in the near future, as well as discussing it today."

Future Plans

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a similar business-oriented trip to China in the coming year as part of a effort to improve relations between the UK and China.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the UK has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is deemed a threat.

Starmer said the United Kingdom was eager to explore additional commercial partnerships but stated that a trade deal with the nation was not currently planned. "It is not a priority, for a trade deal as such, but our position is to cooperate where we can, confront where we need to, and that's been the ongoing approach of the administration in relation to China."