Starmer Praises Trump's Gaza Ceasefire Deal – However Stops Short of Nobel Prize Endorsement

Keir Starmer has stated that the Gaza ceasefire agreement "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," but avoided endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

Ceasefire Deal Welcomed as a "Relief to the Globe"

Starmer commented that the initial stage of the agreement would be a "welcome news globally" and noted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the United States and mediators.

Speaking on the final day of his trade visit to India, the British leader emphasized that the agreement "needs to be put into action in full, without delay, and accompanied by the prompt removal of all limitations on critical humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Question Addressed

But, when asked if the Nobel prize committee should now grant Donald Trump the prestigious prize, Starmer implied that time was needed to determine if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to move forward and implement this ... my focus now is moving this from the phase 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 Revealed During India Visit

The Prime Minister has celebrated a series of agreements finalized during his visit to the country – his maiden visit there – accompanied by 126 business leaders and arts figures. The visit signifies the implementation of the two nations' free trade agreement.

• The UK government has announced a range of financial commitments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister finalized a military agreement worth £350 million for British-made missiles, manufactured in the UK region, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"The shared history is profound, the human connections between our citizens are truly special," he said as he left Mumbai. "Building on our historic trade deal, we are reinventing this alliance for our times."

Digital ID Initiative Studied

The Prime Minister has spent time in India studying the Indian digital ID system, including consulting key figures who developed the widespread system utilized by more than 1 billion people for benefits, payments, and verification.

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

"It has been adopted on a optional basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it ensures that you can access your own money, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is possible with others," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it enables residents here to access services, especially financial services, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions yesterday, and actually a Fintech conversation that we had as well. So we're examining those examples of how digital ID assists individuals with processes that sometimes take too long and are overly complex and simplifies them for them."

Public Support for Changes

Starmer acknowledged that the administration had to make the case for the reforms to the UK citizens, which have plummeted in public approval since Starmer proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the huge benefits ... And I think that the greater number of individuals see the benefits that accompany this ... as has happened in different nations, people say: 'That will simplify my daily routine,' and therefore I want to get on with it," he stated.

Rights Issues and Global Affairs Addressed

Starmer confirmed he had brought up a range of challenging issues with the Indian premier regarding civil liberties and ties with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi talked about how India was persisting to purchase Russian oil, which is subject to extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the priority on resolving this conflict and the multiple measures will be implemented to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a wide range of dialogue, but we did set out the actions that we are undertaking in relation to energy."

Starmer additionally mentioned he had brought up the case 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 often cited as one of the worst examples of injustice among UK nationals currently detained abroad.

But, Starmer 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 chance to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is scheduled to meet the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it today."

Upcoming Initiatives

Starmer is widely expected to take a comparable trade-focused visit to China in the coming year as part of a mission to improve relations between the UK and the Asian nation.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a Chinese spying case, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide new proof that China is deemed a security risk.

Starmer clarified the UK was eager to explore additional commercial partnerships but emphasized that a commercial agreement with the nation was not on the agenda. "That's not on our list, for a trade deal as such, but our stance is to cooperate where we can, challenge where we need to, and this has been the consistent policy of the administration in regarding China."