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The Prime Minister has asserted that the truce deal in Gaza "could not have happened without the leadership of Donald Trump," yet avoided endorsing the American leader for a Nobel Prize.

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

The prime minister remarked that the initial stage of the deal would be a "relief to the world" and highlighted that the United Kingdom had contributed significantly behind the scenes with the United States and mediators.

Addressing the media on the final day of his trade visit to the Indian subcontinent, the British leader stressed that the agreement "must now be implemented in full, without delay, and paired with the prompt removal of all restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid to Gaza."

Peace Prize Inquiry Addressed

But, when asked if the Nobel committee should at this time award Trump the coveted award, the Prime Minister implied that more time was needed to determine if a longer lasting peace could be achieved.

"What matters now is to press on and implement this ... my focus now is transitioning this from the phase it's at now ... and make a success of this, because that matters to me above all," he stated at a press conference in Mumbai.

Trade and Investment Announced During Trip to India

The Prime Minister has hailed a series of agreements finalized during his tour to India – his first time there – joined by 126 business leaders and arts figures. The visit signifies the implementation of the countries' trade pact.

• The UK government has announced a slew of investments, from fintech to university campuses, as well as the production of three Bollywood films in the UK.
• On the final day, the Prime Minister finalized a military agreement worth £350m for British-made missiles, produced in the UK region, to be used by the Indian army.

"Our history together is profound, the personal ties between our citizens are exceptionally strong," Starmer said as he left Mumbai. "Building on our landmark agreement, we are remaking this partnership for our times."

Digital Identification System Examined

The Prime Minister has spent time in India studying the Indian digital ID system, including consulting principal architects who designed the comprehensive platform utilized by over a billion individuals for benefits, transactions, and verification.

The prime minister hinted that the United Kingdom was interested in broadening the scope of digital identification beyond making it mandatory to verify eligibility to work. He indicated that the Britain would in time look at linking it to financial and transaction networks – on a voluntary basis – as well as for administrative tasks such as home loan and educational enrollments.

"It's been taken up on a voluntary basis [in India] in massive scale, not least because it means that you can retrieve your own money, conduct transactions so much more conveniently than is available with others," he noted.

"The efficiency with which it allows citizens here to access services, especially banking options, 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 people with procedures that sometimes take too long and are too cumbersome and simplifies them for them."

Popular Backing for Reforms

The Prime Minister acknowledged that the administration had to make the case for the reforms to the British public, which have declined sharply in popularity since he proposed them.

"I think now we need to go out and advocate for the huge benefits ... And I believe that the greater number of individuals see the positive outcomes that accompany 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 International Relations Addressed

Starmer said he had brought up a number of difficult topics with the Indian premier regarding human rights and relations with the Russian Federation, though he appeared to have made minimal progress. Starmer acknowledged that he and Modi discussed how the country was continuing to buy oil from Russia, which is facing extensive international restrictions.

"For prime minister Modi and myself the focus on ending this conflict and the various steps will be implemented to that purpose," he commented. "And that was a wide range of discussion, but we outlined the actions that we are undertaking in regarding energy."

Starmer additionally mentioned he had raised the situation of the British Sikh activist the individual, from Scotland, who has been detained in an Indian prison for almost a decade without facing a full trial. It is often cited as one of the most egregious cases of unfair treatment among Britons still held abroad.

But, he did not indicate much progress had been made. "Indeed, we did raise the consular cases," he said. "We always raise them when we have the opportunity to do so. I must add that the top diplomat is meeting the relatives in the near future, as well as raising it now."

Upcoming Initiatives

The prime minister is widely expected to take a comparable trade-focused visit to the People's Republic of China in the coming year as part of a effort to improve diplomatic ties between the United Kingdom and China.

That relationship is under the spotlight because of the collapse of a espionage investigation, said to have happened because the UK has been reluctant to provide fresh evidence that the country is considered a security risk.

The Prime Minister clarified the United Kingdom was keen to pursue additional commercial partnerships 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 are able, confront where we need to, and this has been the consistent policy of the government in regarding China."