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

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Welcome Development to the World"

The prime minister remarked that the initial stage of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the UK had played its own role in private discussions with the US and mediators.

Speaking on the final day of his business trip to India, the British leader stressed that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and paired with the prompt removal of all limitations on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Nobel Prize Inquiry Addressed

However, when questioned if the Nobel committee should at this time award Trump the prestigious award, the Prime Minister suggested that time was needed to know if a durable peace could be attained.

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

Trade and Investment Announced During India Visit

The Prime Minister has hailed a series of agreements finalized during his visit to the country – his maiden visit there – joined by over a hundred executives and arts figures. The visit signifies the implementation of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has announced a slew of investments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the United Kingdom.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister finalized a defence deal worth £350m for British-made missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian army.

"The shared history is deep, the personal ties between our people are truly special," he remarked as he left Mumbai. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, we are remaking this alliance for our era."

Digital ID Initiative Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting principal architects who designed the widespread system utilized by over a billion individuals for social services, payments, and identification.

He hinted that the UK was considering broadening the application of digital ID beyond making it compulsory to prove rights to work. He proposed that the Britain would eventually look at linking it to banking and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as mortgage and school applications.

"It's been taken up on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, partly because it ensures that you can access your own money, conduct transactions so much more easily than is possible with others," he explained.

"The speed with which it allows residents here to utilize facilities, particularly financial services, is something that was recognized in our discussions yesterday, and in fact a financial technology conversation that we had as well. So we're looking at those instances of how digital ID helps people with procedures that sometimes take excessive time and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Popular Backing for Changes

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the administration had to make the case for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in popularity 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 positive outcomes that come with this ... as has happened in other countries, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he affirmed.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Addressed

Starmer said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and ties with the Russian Federation, though he seemed to have made little headway. He confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how India was persisting to purchase Russian oil, which is subject to extensive international restrictions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the priority on resolving this conflict and the various steps will be implemented to that end," he commented. "This included a wide range of dialogue, but we outlined the actions that we are taking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister also said he had raised the situation of the UK-based activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian jail for almost a decade without undergoing a full trial. It is frequently mentioned as one of the worst examples of injustice among UK nationals still held overseas.

But, Starmer did not suggest much advancement had been achieved. "Indeed, we brought up the diplomatic matters," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is meeting the relatives in coming weeks, 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 relations between the UK and China.

This bilateral connection is receiving attention because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, said to have happened because the British authorities has been unwilling to provide new proof that China is deemed a security risk.

The Prime Minister clarified the UK was eager to explore other trading relationships but emphasized that a trade deal with China was not currently planned. "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 must, and this has been the ongoing approach of the administration in relation to China."