UK Returns Chagos Islands To Mauritius: India Played A Crucial Role In Resolving The Long-Standing Colonial Dispute

India has played a quiet but significant role in the United Kingdom's decision to return sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

The UK has agreed to transfer the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, bringing an end to a long-standing dispute.

Diego Garcia, which hosts a US military base, is part of the Chagos Islands.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the UK forcibly expelled the Chagossians, a move condemned as a crime against humanity, while it retained control of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) following Mauritius’ independence in 1968.

This agreement comes after 13 rounds of negotiations, which began in 2022, and follows a series of international rulings. In 2019 and 2021, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN General Assembly, and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) backed Mauritius' sovereignty claims.

The UK was found to have unlawfully separated the Chagos Islands from Mauritius before granting independence.

In February 2019, the International Court of Justice declared British control of the islands illegal.

Despite this, Britain initially resisted returning the islands, citing the ICJ’s ruling as merely “advisory.”

Three months later, the United Nations passed a resolution demanding that the UK hand over Chagos to Mauritius.

However, the UK resisted these demands, pointing to the strategic value of Diego Garcia, a vital military base for US operations across the Indian Ocean and the Gulf.

The UK and Mauritius' joint statement on the deal recognised New Delhi's involvement in the process.

"In reaching today's political agreement, we have enjoyed the full support and assistance of our close partners, the United States of America and the Republic of India," the joint statement read.

India had continuously urged both parties to engage in talks "with an open mind and a view to achieving mutually beneficial outcomes", NDTV reported citing sources.

The outcome is seen as a victory for all stakeholders, and is expected to bolster long-term security in the Indian Ocean.

New Delhi, in its statement welcoming the accord, said, "India has consistently supported Mauritius's claim for sovereignty over Chagos, in line with its principled stand on decolonisation and support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, as well as its longstanding and close partnership with Mauritius."

The current decision followed two years of negotiations, which both nations described as respectful and conducted between sovereign equals.

The political agreement is now subject to the finalisation of a treaty and supporting legal documents, which both parties have pledged to complete swiftly.

For more than ten years, India has pursued a steady maritime strategy centred on the Indian Ocean, countering China's increasing influence.

Mauritius plays a crucial role in the southwest Indian Ocean and serves as a strategic gateway to the Atlantic Ocean.

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