🔗 Share this article

Keir Starmer has stated that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," but stopped short of supporting the US president for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Hailed as a "Relief to the World"

Starmer remarked that the first phase of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the US and mediators.

Speaking on the final day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, Starmer stressed that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without postponement, and accompanied by the immediate lifting of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Addressed

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

"What matters now is to press on and execute this ... my focus now is moving this from the stage it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that matters to me more than anything else," he told reporters at a press conference in Mumbai.

Business Deals Revealed During Trip to India

Starmer has celebrated a number of deals 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 countries' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the United Kingdom.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350 million for UK missiles, manufactured in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian military.

"The shared history is deep, the personal ties between our citizens are exceptionally strong," Starmer remarked as he departed Mumbai. "Expanding upon our historic trade deal, 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 meeting principal architects who designed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for social services, payments, and verification.

The prime minister hinted that the United Kingdom was considering broadening the scope of digital ID beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He proposed that the UK would eventually look at linking it to banking and transaction networks – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan and school applications.

"It's been taken up on a voluntary basis [in India] in huge numbers, not least because it means that you can retrieve your own money, make payments so much more conveniently than is possible with others," he noted.

"The speed with which it allows citizens here to access services, particularly financial services, is something that was acknowledged in our talks recently, and in fact a Fintech conversation that we had today. So we're examining those instances of how digital ID assists people 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 administration had to build public support for the reforms to the British public, which have declined sharply in popularity since he announced them.

"In my view now we need to go out and make that case the huge benefits ... And I believe that the more people see the benefits that accompany this ... as has happened in different nations, citizens say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Human Rights and Global Affairs Discussed

Starmer confirmed he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding human rights and relations with Russia, though he appeared to have made little headway. He confirmed that he and Modi talked about how India was persisting to purchase Russian oil, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on resolving this conflict and the various steps will be taken to that end," he said. "And that was a broad spectrum of discussion, but we did set out the steps that we are taking in relation to energy."

The Prime Minister additionally said he had raised the case of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Dumbarton, who has been detained in an Indian prison for nearly eight years without facing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among UK nationals currently detained abroad.

But, he did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Yes, we did raise the consular cases," he said. "We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so. I should say that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the relatives in the near future, as well as raising it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is largely anticipated to take a comparable business-oriented trip to China in the coming year as part of a mission to ease relations between the United Kingdom and China.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the UK has been unwilling to provide new proof that China is deemed a threat.

The Prime Minister said the UK was keen to explore additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with China was not currently planned. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal as such, but our stance is to work together where we are able, challenge where we need to, and this has been the consistent policy of the government in regarding China."