Starmer Praises Trump's Gaza Truce Deal – But Stops Short of Nobel Prize Endorsement

Keir Starmer has declared that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without President Trump's leadership," yet avoided endorsing the American leader for a Nobel peace prize.

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

The prime minister 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 in private discussions with the US and mediators.

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

Nobel Prize Inquiry Addressed

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

"The priority now is to move forward and implement this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the stage it's at now ... and ensure the success of this, because that is important to me above all," he told reporters at a media briefing in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced 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 trip marks the passing of the two nations' trade pact.

• The UK government has unveiled a slew of investments, from financial technology to university campuses, as well as the making of multiple Indian movies in the UK.
• On Thursday, the Prime Minister signed a defence deal worth £350 million for British-made missiles, manufactured in Northern Ireland, to be deployed by the Indian army.

"Our history together is deep, the personal ties between our people are truly special," he said as he departed Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our era."

Digital ID Initiative Studied

Starmer has dedicated time in Mumbai analyzing the Indian digital ID system, including consulting key figures who developed the comprehensive platform used by over a billion individuals for benefits, transactions, and identification.

He suggested that the United Kingdom was considering expanding the application of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to prove rights to work. He indicated that the UK would in time look at connecting it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for official procedures such as home loan and educational enrollments.

"It has been adopted on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, partly because it ensures that you can retrieve your own money, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is possible with alternative methods," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it allows residents here to access services, particularly financial services, is something that was acknowledged in our discussions yesterday, and actually a financial technology discussion that we had as well. So we're examining those instances of how digital identification helps 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 government had to make the case for the reforms to the British public, which have declined sharply in popularity since Starmer announced them.

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

Human Rights and International Relations Addressed

Starmer said he had raised a range of challenging issues with the Indian leader regarding civil liberties and ties with Russia, though he appeared to have made little headway. He confirmed that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed how the country was persisting to buy Russian oil, which is facing widespread western sanctions.

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

The Prime Minister also mentioned he had brought up the situation of the British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian jail for almost a decade without facing a complete legal process. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of injustice among Britons still held overseas.

However, Starmer did not indicate much advancement had been made. "Yes, we did raise the diplomatic matters," he said. "We consistently address them when we have the chance to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is meeting the relatives in coming weeks, as well as raising it now."

Future Plans

Starmer is widely expected to take a similar trade-focused visit to the People's Republic of China in the next 12 months as part of a mission to ease diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and the Asian nation.

This bilateral connection is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, reportedly occurring because the British authorities has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that China is considered a threat.

Starmer said the UK was eager to explore other trading relationships but emphasized that a trade deal with China was not on the agenda. "It is not a priority, for a trade deal as such, but our position is to work together where we can, challenge where we must, and that's been the ongoing approach of the government in regarding China."