Prime Minister Keir Starmer has credited US President Donald Trump with the Gaza ceasefire breakthrough, stating the deal 'would not have happened without President Trump’s leadership'. Speaking on the final day of his trade visit to India, Starmer described the first phase of the agreement as a 'relief to the world', but declined to endorse Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize.
When asked whether the Nobel committee should award Trump the prize, Starmer said time was needed to assess whether a lasting peace could be achieved. 'What matters now is to press on and implement this… my focus now is moving this from the stage it’s at now… and make a success of this,' he told a press conference in Mumbai.
Starmer’s comments came as he concluded a three-day visit to India, his first as prime minister, accompanied by 126 business and cultural leaders. He hailed a series of deals, including a defence contract worth £350 million for UK missiles manufactured in Northern Ireland, and investments in fintech, university campuses, and Bollywood film production in the UK.
The prime minister also studied India’s digital ID system, suggesting the UK might expand its own scheme to include banking, payments, and administrative tasks on a voluntary basis. 'The speed with which it allows citizens here to access services, particularly financial services, is something that was recognised in our discussions,' he said.
Starmer acknowledged the need to convince the British public of the benefits of digital ID, which has faced declining popularity. He raised human rights issues and India’s continued purchase of Russian oil with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but made little headway. He also discussed the case of British Sikh activist Jagtar Singh Johal, held in India.
