🔗 Share this article

The Prime Minister has stated that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "would not have occurred without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet stopped short of endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Relief to the World"

The prime minister commented that the initial stage of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and noted that the UK had played its own role behind the scenes with the US and negotiators.

Speaking on the last day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader stressed that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Answered

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

"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 above all," he stated at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Revealed During Trip to India

Starmer has celebrated 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 passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• No 10 has announced a slew of investments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, Starmer signed a military agreement worth £350m for British-made missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"The shared history is profound, the personal ties between our people are exceptionally strong," he said as he left Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our times."

Digital Identification System Studied

The Prime Minister has spent time in Mumbai studying the Indian digital ID system, including meeting key figures who designed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for benefits, transactions, and identification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was considering broadening the scope of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the Britain would eventually look at linking it to financial and payments systems – on a optional basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it ensures that you can retrieve your own funds, conduct transactions so much more easily than is possible with others," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to access services, especially banking options, is something that was acknowledged 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 assists individuals with procedures that sometimes take too long and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Reforms

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the administration had to build public support for the initiatives to the British public, which have declined sharply in public approval since Starmer 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 positive outcomes that come with this ... as has happened in different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer confirmed he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding human rights and relations with Russia, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. Starmer confirmed that he and Modi talked about how the country was persisting to purchase Russian oil, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on ending this conflict and the multiple measures will be taken to that end," he commented. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the steps that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally mentioned he had raised the situation of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without facing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among UK nationals currently detained overseas.

But, Starmer did not suggest much progress had been made. "Yes, we did raise the consular cases," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is meeting the families in coming weeks, as well as discussing it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is widely expected to take a comparable business-oriented trip to the People's Republic of China in the next 12 months as part of a effort to improve relations between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is deemed a security risk.

Starmer clarified the United Kingdom was keen to explore other trading relationships 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 work together where we are able, confront where we must, and this has been the ongoing approach of the administration in regarding China."