🔗 Share this article

The Prime Minister has stated that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," but stopped short of supporting the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

Truce Agreement Welcomed as a "Relief to the World"

Starmer commented that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the UK had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the US and negotiators.

Speaking on the last day of his business trip to India, the British leader emphasized that the deal "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and paired with the prompt removal of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Question Answered

But, when questioned if the Nobel prize committee should at this time grant Donald Trump the coveted award, Starmer implied that time was needed to know if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

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

Business Deals Announced During Trip to India

The Prime Minister has hailed a series of agreements sealed during his visit to India – his first time there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The visit signifies the passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• The UK government has announced a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the production of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350m for British-made missiles, manufactured in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"The shared history is deep, the human connections between our citizens are truly special," Starmer said as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this alliance for our times."

Digital ID Initiative Examined

Starmer has dedicated time in Mumbai studying the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who designed the widespread system used by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and verification.

The prime minister hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in expanding the scope of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the Britain would eventually look at linking it to financial and payments systems – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in huge numbers, not least because it means that you can access your own money, conduct transactions so much more easily than is available with alternative methods," he explained.

"The efficiency with which it allows citizens here to access services, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our discussions yesterday, and actually a Fintech discussion that we had as well. So we're examining those examples of how digital ID assists people with processes that sometimes 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 declined sharply in public approval since Starmer announced them.

"In my view now we need to go out and make that case the significant advantages ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the benefits that come with this ... as has happened in other countries, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and International Relations Discussed

The Prime Minister said he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and relations with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made little headway. He confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how the country was persisting to buy oil from Russia, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on ending this conflict and the multiple measures will be taken to that purpose," he commented. "This included a broad spectrum of dialogue, but we outlined the actions that we are taking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister also said he had brought up the case of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian jail for nearly eight years without undergoing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the worst examples of unfair treatment among UK nationals still held abroad.

However, Starmer did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Indeed, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he said. "We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is meeting the families in coming weeks, as well as discussing it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is widely expected to take a similar business-oriented trip to China in the coming year as part of a effort to improve relations between the United Kingdom and China.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the UK has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is considered a security risk.

The Prime Minister clarified the UK was keen to pursue 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 stance is to cooperate where we can, challenge where we must, and that's been the consistent policy of the administration in relation to China."