Keir Starmer Applauds President Trump's Gaza Truce Deal – However Declines of Nobel Prize Backing

Keir Starmer has stated that the truce deal in Gaza "would not have occurred without President Trump's leadership," yet avoided supporting the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Relief to the World"

Starmer commented that the initial stage of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the UK had contributed significantly in private discussions with the US and negotiators.

Addressing the media on the last day of his business trip to India, Starmer emphasized that the agreement "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

However, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should at this time grant Donald Trump the coveted award, the Prime Minister suggested that more time was needed to know if a longer lasting peace could be attained.

"The priority now is to move forward and execute this ... my attention now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me above all," he stated at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has hailed a number of deals sealed during his visit to India – his first time there – joined by 126 business leaders and cultural leaders. The trip marks the implementation of the two nations' trade pact.

• The UK government has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister signed a military agreement worth £350m for British-made missiles, produced in the UK region, to be used by the Indian military.

"Our history together is profound, the human connections between our citizens are truly special," he remarked as he departed Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this alliance for our times."

Digital ID Initiative Examined

Starmer has spent time in Mumbai studying the Indian digital ID system, including consulting principal architects who designed the widespread system utilized by over a billion individuals for benefits, payments, and identification.

The prime minister suggested that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the application of digital identification beyond making it compulsory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the Britain would in time look at connecting it to banking and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

"It's been taken up on a voluntary basis [in India] in huge numbers, partly because it means that you can retrieve your own funds, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is possible with others," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it enables citizens here to utilize facilities, especially financial services, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions yesterday, and in fact a Fintech discussion that we had as well. So we're examining those instances of how digital identification assists individuals with processes that sometimes take too long 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 reforms to the British public, 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 believe that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that accompany this ... as has occurred in other countries, people say: 'That will make my life easier,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he stated.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer said he had raised a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding human rights and relations with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. He confirmed that he and Modi discussed how the country was continuing to purchase oil from Russia, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"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. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we did set out the steps that we are taking in regarding energy."

Starmer additionally said he had raised the case of the UK-based activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been held in an Indian prison for almost a decade without facing a complete legal process. It is frequently mentioned as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among UK nationals currently detained overseas.

But, Starmer did not suggest much progress had been achieved. "Indeed, we brought up the consular cases," he stated. "We always raise them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the relatives in the near future, as well as discussing it today."

Future Plans

The prime minister is widely expected to take a comparable trade-focused visit to China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to ease diplomatic ties between the UK and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide fresh evidence that China is deemed a threat.

The Prime Minister clarified the United Kingdom was keen to pursue other trading relationships but stated that a trade deal with China was not on the agenda. "It is not a priority, for a bilateral pact as such, but our stance is to work together where we are able, confront where we need to, and that's been the ongoing approach of the administration in regarding China."