Keir Starmer Commends Trump's Gaza Ceasefire Agreement – But Stops Short of Peace Prize Endorsement

Keir Starmer has asserted that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," but stopped short of endorsing the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

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

The prime minister commented that the initial stage of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the UK had contributed significantly in private discussions with the United States and mediators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his trade visit to India, the British leader emphasized that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Inquiry Answered

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

"What matters now is to move forward and execute this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has celebrated a number of deals sealed during his visit to India – his first time there – joined by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The trip marks the implementation of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister finalized a military agreement worth £350m for British-made missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"The shared history is deep, the personal ties between our people are truly special," he remarked as he left the city. "Building on our historic trade deal, we are reinventing this alliance for our times."

Digital ID Initiative Studied

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including consulting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform used by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and verification.

The prime minister hinted that the UK was interested in broadening the application of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He proposed that the Britain would in time look at connecting it to financial and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and school applications.

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

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to access services, particularly 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 examples of how digital ID helps people with processes 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 build public support for the initiatives to the British public, which have declined sharply in public approval since Starmer announced 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 different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Addressed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and relations with Russia, though he appeared to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how India was continuing to buy oil from Russia, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on resolving this conflict and the various steps will be taken to that end," he commented. "This included a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the steps that we are taking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister additionally said he had raised the situation of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been held in an Indian prison 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 still held abroad.

But, he did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Indeed, we brought up the consular cases," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is meeting the families in the near future, as well as raising it now."

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 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 UK has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that the country is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister clarified the UK was keen to explore other trading relationships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with the nation was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we are able, confront where we must, and this has been the ongoing approach of the government in regarding China."