🔗 Share this article

Keir Starmer has stated 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 Hailed as a "Relief to the Globe"

The prime minister commented that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and noted that the UK had contributed significantly in private discussions with the US and negotiators.

Speaking on the final day of his trade visit to India, Starmer stressed that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and paired with the prompt removal of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Answered

But, when asked if the Nobel committee should at this time grant Donald Trump the coveted prize, the Prime Minister suggested that time was needed to know if a durable peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to move forward and implement this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the stage it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me above all," he told reporters at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Announced During Trip to India

Starmer has hailed a number of deals finalized during his visit to India – his first time there – joined by 126 business leaders and arts figures. The visit marks the passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• No 10 has announced a range of financial commitments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, Starmer signed a military agreement worth £350 million for British-made missiles, produced in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"Our history together is deep, the personal ties between our people are truly special," Starmer said as he left Mumbai. "Building on our historic trade deal, we are reinventing this partnership for our times."

Digital ID Initiative Studied

Starmer has spent time in Mumbai studying the Indian digital ID system, including consulting principal architects who designed the widespread system used by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and identification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the scope of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the UK would eventually 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's been taken up on a optional basis [in India] in huge numbers, not least because it means that you can access your own money, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is possible with alternative methods," he explained.

"The speed with which it enables citizens here to utilize facilities, particularly financial services, is something that was acknowledged in our talks recently, and actually a Fintech conversation that we had today. So we're examining those instances of how digital ID assists people with processes that sometimes take excessive time and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Popular Backing for Reforms

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the government had to make the case for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have declined sharply in popularity since he announced them.

"I think now we need to go out and make that case the huge benefits ... And I think that the more people see the benefits that accompany this ... as has occurred in different nations, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Discussed

The Prime Minister said he had raised a number of difficult topics with the Indian premier regarding human rights and relations with Russia, though he appeared to have made little headway. Starmer confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how the country was continuing to purchase oil from Russia, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on resolving this situation and the various steps will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "This included a wide range of dialogue, but we outlined the steps that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

Starmer additionally mentioned he had brought up the case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian prison for almost a decade without undergoing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among Britons currently detained abroad.

But, he did not suggest much advancement had been made. "Yes, we did raise the consular cases," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is meeting the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is widely expected to take a comparable business-oriented visit to China in the next 12 months as part of a effort to improve diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that the country is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister clarified the United Kingdom was eager to explore additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with China was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal as such, but our position is to work together where we are able, challenge where we need to, and that's been the ongoing approach of the administration in regarding China."