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Keir Starmer has asserted that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," but avoided supporting the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

Truce Agreement Welcomed as a "Relief to the Globe"

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the agreement would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had played its own role behind the scenes with the United States and mediators.

Speaking on the last day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer stressed that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and paired with the immediate lifting of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Inquiry Answered

But, when questioned if the Nobel committee should at this time grant Trump the coveted award, the Prime Minister suggested that time was required to know if a longer lasting 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 media briefing in India's financial capital.

Business Deals Announced During Trip to India

The Prime Minister has hailed a number of deals sealed during his visit to India – his maiden visit there – joined by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The trip signifies the passing of the countries' trade pact.

• The UK government has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to higher education facilities, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350 million for UK missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be used by the Indian military.

"Our history together is deep, the human connections between our people are truly special," he said 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 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 verification.

He hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the scope of digital identification beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He proposed that the Britain would in time look at linking it to financial and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

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

"The efficiency with which it enables citizens here to access services, particularly banking options, is something that was recognized in our discussions recently, and actually a financial technology conversation that we had as well. So we're looking at those examples of how digital identification helps individuals with processes that often take excessive time and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Reforms

Starmer admitted that the administration had to build public support for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in public approval since Starmer proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the huge benefits ... And I believe that the greater number of individuals see the benefits that accompany this ... as has happened in other countries, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Discussed

The Prime Minister said he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding human rights and relations with Russia, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. He acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how India was persisting to purchase Russian oil, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on ending this conflict and the multiple measures will be implemented to that end," he commented. "This included a wide range of discussion, but we did set out the steps that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

Starmer also said he had raised the case of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian prison for almost a decade without undergoing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among UK nationals currently detained abroad.

But, he did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Indeed, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the relatives in the near future, as well as discussing it today."

Future Plans

Starmer 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 China.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the UK has been unwilling to provide new proof that the country is deemed a security risk.

Starmer clarified the United Kingdom was eager to explore additional commercial partnerships but stated that a trade deal with the nation was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a bilateral pact as such, but our position is to work together where we are able, confront where we need to, and that's been the ongoing approach of the administration in relation to China."