Keir Starmer Applauds Trump's Gaza Ceasefire Deal – But Declines of Peace Prize Endorsement

Keir Starmer has asserted that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," yet avoided endorsing the US president for a Nobel peace prize.

Truce Agreement Hailed as a "Welcome Development to the Globe"

The prime minister remarked that the first phase of the deal would be a "welcome news globally" and highlighted that the UK had played its own role behind the scenes with the US and negotiators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his business trip to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader emphasized that the deal "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all restrictions on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Answered

However, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should now grant Donald Trump the prestigious award, Starmer 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 make a success of this, because that matters to me more than anything else," he stated at a media briefing in India's financial capital.

Trade and Investment Revealed During India Visit

Starmer has hailed a number of deals finalized during his tour to India – his first time there – accompanied by over a hundred executives and cultural leaders. The trip signifies the implementation of the countries' free trade agreement.

• No 10 has unveiled a range of financial commitments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the making of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On the final day, Starmer finalized a defence deal worth £350 million for UK missiles, produced in Northern Ireland, to be used by the Indian military.

"Our history together is profound, the human connections between our people are exceptionally strong," he said as he left the city. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our era."

Digital Identification Initiative Studied

The Prime Minister has dedicated time in India studying the Indian digital ID system, including consulting principal architects who developed the widespread system used by more than 1 billion people for social services, transactions, and verification.

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 proposed that the UK would eventually look at connecting it to banking and payments systems – on a optional basis – as well as for official procedures such as mortgage and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, partly because it means that you can access your own money, make payments so much more easily than is available with alternative methods," he noted.

"The speed with which it allows citizens here to access services, especially financial services, is something that was recognized in our discussions yesterday, and actually a financial technology discussion that we had today. So we're examining those instances of how digital ID assists individuals with procedures that sometimes take too long and are overly complex and makes them easier for them."

Public Support for Changes

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the administration had to build public support for the initiatives to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in public approval since he proposed them.

"In my view now we need to go out and advocate for the significant advantages ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the benefits that accompany this ... as has occurred in different nations, citizens say: 'That will make my life easier,' and consequently I want to proceed with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and International Relations Addressed

Starmer said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian premier regarding civil liberties and relations with Russia, though he seemed to have made minimal progress. He acknowledged that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how India was persisting to buy Russian oil, which is subject to widespread western sanctions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on ending this conflict and the various steps will be implemented to that end," he said. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the steps that we are taking in relation to 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 jail 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 currently detained overseas.

However, Starmer did not indicate much progress had been made. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he stated. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the foreign secretary is scheduled to meet the relatives in coming weeks, as well as discussing it today."

Future Plans

Starmer is largely anticipated to take a similar business-oriented visit to China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to improve relations between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

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 fresh evidence that the country is considered a threat.

The Prime Minister said the United Kingdom was keen to explore additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with China 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, challenge where we need to, and this has been the ongoing approach of the government in relation to China."