🔗 Share this article

The Prime Minister has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," but avoided endorsing the US president for a Nobel Prize.

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

The prime minister remarked that the first phase of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly in private discussions with the United States and negotiators.

Speaking on the final day of his business trip to India, Starmer stressed that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Answered

But, when asked if the Nobel committee should now award Trump the coveted award, the Prime Minister suggested that more time was needed to determine if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"The priority now is to move forward and implement this ... my attention now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that matters to me more than anything else," he stated at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Revealed During India Visit

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

• The UK government has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from fintech to higher education facilities, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister finalized a military agreement worth £350m for UK missiles, produced in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian army.

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

Digital ID System Studied

Starmer has dedicated time in Mumbai studying the national digital identification program, including meeting principal architects who developed the widespread system used by more than 1 billion people for social services, transactions, and identification.

The prime minister suggested that the UK was considering broadening the scope of digital identification beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at connecting it to financial and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan 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 funds, make payments so much more conveniently than is possible with others," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to utilize facilities, especially banking options, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions yesterday, and actually a Fintech conversation that we had as well. So we're looking at those examples of how digital ID assists individuals with processes that often take excessive time and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Reforms

The Prime Minister admitted that the government had to make the case for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in popularity since Starmer announced them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the significant advantages ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has happened in different nations, citizens say: 'That will make my life easier,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Discussed

The Prime Minister confirmed he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and relations with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made little headway. He acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how India was continuing to purchase Russian oil, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on ending this situation and the various steps will be implemented to that end," he commented. "And that was a wide range of dialogue, but we did set out the actions that we are taking in regarding energy."

Starmer also said he had raised the situation of the UK-based activist the individual, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without undergoing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of injustice among Britons still held overseas.

But, he did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Indeed, we did raise the consular cases," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is meeting the families in the near future, as well as raising it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is widely expected to take a similar 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 under the spotlight because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that the country is deemed a threat.

Starmer clarified the United Kingdom was eager to pursue additional commercial partnerships but stated that a commercial agreement with China was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we can, confront where we need to, and this has been the consistent policy of the administration in relation to China."