🔗 Share this article

The Prime Minister has asserted that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," but stopped short of supporting the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Relief to the Globe"

Starmer commented that the initial stage of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had played its own role behind the scenes with the US and mediators.

Speaking on the final day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader emphasized that the deal "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."

Peace Prize Question Addressed

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

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

Business Deals Revealed During India Visit

The Prime Minister has celebrated a number of deals sealed 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 announced a slew of investments, 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 signed a military agreement worth £350m for UK missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian army.

"The shared history is deep, the human connections between our citizens are exceptionally strong," Starmer remarked as he departed Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are reinventing this alliance for our era."

Digital Identification System Examined

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the national digital identification program, including consulting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for benefits, transactions, and identification.

The prime minister hinted 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 eventually look at linking it to banking and payments systems – on a optional 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 massive scale, partly 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 residents here to access services, particularly banking options, is something that was recognized in our talks recently, and in fact a financial technology conversation that we had as well. So we're examining those examples of how digital ID helps people with processes that sometimes take excessive time and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Reforms

Starmer admitted that the government had to make the case for the reforms to the British public, which have plummeted in popularity since he proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and make that case the significant advantages ... And I think that the more people 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 get on with it," he affirmed.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Discussed

The Prime Minister confirmed he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding human rights and ties with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi talked about how the country was continuing to purchase oil from Russia, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For both Prime Minister Modi and me the focus on resolving this conflict and the various steps will be implemented to that purpose," he said. "This included a broad spectrum of discussion, but we did set out the steps that we are taking in regarding energy."

The Prime Minister also mentioned he had brought up the situation 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 injustice among UK nationals still held abroad.

However, he did not indicate much progress had been made. "Indeed, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the relatives in the near future, as well as raising it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is widely expected to take a comparable trade-focused visit to the People's Republic of China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to improve relations between the UK and China.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the dismissal of a Chinese spying case, said to have happened because the UK has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister said the United Kingdom was eager to explore other trading relationships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with the nation was not currently planned. "It is not a priority, for a trade deal as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we are able, confront where we must, and this has been the consistent policy of the administration in relation to China."