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Keir Starmer has stated that the truce deal in Gaza "would not have occurred 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 US and mediators.

Addressing the media on the last day of his business trip to India, Starmer emphasized that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and paired with the immediate lifting of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Answered

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should now award Donald Trump the prestigious prize, Starmer suggested that time was needed to determine if a durable peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to move forward and execute this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that is important to me above all," he told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During India Visit

Starmer has hailed a series of agreements finalized during his tour to the country – his maiden visit there – joined by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The trip signifies the implementation of the countries' trade pact.

• The UK government has announced a slew of investments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On the final day, Starmer signed a military agreement worth £350m for British-made missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian army.

"The shared history is profound, the human connections between our citizens are exceptionally strong," he said as he left Mumbai. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are reinventing this alliance for our times."

Digital ID Initiative Examined

The Prime Minister has spent time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who designed the comprehensive platform used by over a billion individuals for social services, transactions, and identification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the application of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He proposed that the Britain would eventually look at linking it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and school applications.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in huge numbers, partly because it ensures that you can retrieve your own money, conduct transactions so much more easily than is possible with alternative methods," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to utilize facilities, particularly banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our talks yesterday, and in fact a financial technology discussion that we had today. So we're examining those instances of how digital ID helps people with processes that sometimes take excessive time and are too cumbersome and makes them easier for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the government had to build public support for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in popularity since he announced them.

"In my view now we need to go out and make that case the significant advantages ... And I think that the more people see the benefits that accompany this ... as has occurred in different nations, citizens say: 'That will make my life easier,' and consequently I want to get on with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Addressed

The Prime Minister confirmed he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian premier regarding civil liberties and ties with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made little headway. He confirmed that he and Modi talked about how India was continuing to buy oil from Russia, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on resolving this situation and the multiple measures will be implemented to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the steps that we are taking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister also said he had raised the situation of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without undergoing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among Britons still held overseas.

But, he did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Indeed, we did raise the consular cases," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the relatives in the near future, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a comparable business-oriented trip to China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to improve relations between the United Kingdom and China.

That relationship is receiving attention because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is deemed a threat.

The Prime Minister said the United Kingdom was keen to explore additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a trade deal with the nation was not on the agenda. "It is not a priority, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to cooperate where we can, confront where we must, and that's been the ongoing approach of the government in regarding China."