News Brief
Chagos Islands Deal With UK Backed By India And PM Modi, Says Mauritius PM Ramgoolam
Satellite view of Diego Garcia US-UK military base in Chagos Islands
Mauritius has said that India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has supported the signing of the agreement between the island nation and United Kingdom over the Chagos Islands.
The United Kingdom signed an agreement on Thursday to hand over the sovereignty over the contested and strategically located Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The move, the British government said, ensures the future of a US-UK military base that is vital to British security.
Under the agreement, the United Kingdom will pay Mauritius $136 million per year to lease back the military base on the islands for at least 99 years.
The Indian Ocean archipelago is home to a strategically important naval and bomber base on the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia.
"The signed agreement has received the approval of the United States and also the support of the Indian Government, and in particular the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Mauritus PM Navin Ramgoolam said on Thursday.
It was further delayed after the inauguration of US President Donald Trump in January, with London wanting to give the new administration time to examine the details of the plan. In February, Trump indicated his backing for the deal.
India has welcomed the signing of the treaty between Mauritius and the UK.
"We welcome the signing of the treaty between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Mauritius on the return of Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia. The formal resolution of the longstanding Chagos dispute through this bilateral treaty is a milestone achievement and a positive development for the region. This is further to the understanding between the two sides reached in October 2024, and marks the culmination of the process of decolonization of Mauritius in the spirit of international law and rules-based order," the MEA said.
India has consistently supported Mauritius’s legitimate claim over the Chagos Archipelago in keeping with its principled position on decolonization, respect for sovereignty, and the territorial integrity of nations, the MEA said.
"As a steadfast and longstanding partner of Mauritius, India remains committed to working closely with Mauritius and other like-minded countries to strengthen maritime security and regional stability and ensure peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region," it added.
