UK to Transfer Chagos Islands to Mauritius, Retains Diego Garcia Base
The United Kingdom is set to transfer control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, with a formal agreement expected to be signed on Thursday, despite a late-night legal challenge and ongoing international controversy. The move marks a significant moment in post-colonial diplomacy and has drawn close attention in India due to its strategic implications in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
The Chagos Archipelago, a cluster of islands in the central Indian Ocean, includes Diego Garcia, which hosts a major US-UK military base and is seen as a critical node for Western strategic operations across Asia and the Middle East. While the base will remain under Anglo-American control, the rest of the islands are to be handed over to Mauritius, concluding a decades-long sovereignty dispute.
The decision follows legal and political pushback in the UK, including a High Court injunction filed by Chagossian activists just hours before the deal’s scheduled finalization. Two Chagossian women, Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, challenged the handover on human rights grounds, arguing that the historical displacement of the islanders had yet to be fully addressed. The injunction was dismissed early Thursday, clearing the way for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government to proceed.
The UK government has framed the handover as a necessary correction of colonial-era injustices. However, the deal is also accompanied by concerns in the United States and Britain over Mauritius’s growing trade dependency on China, which they fear could give Beijing a stronger foothold in the region.
India, which has long advocated for decolonization in the Indian Ocean, has supported Mauritius’ claim to the Chagos Islands in international forums, including at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the UN General Assembly, where resolutions had called on the UK to return the territory. At the same time, New Delhi remains closely invested in the balance of power in the region and views Diego Garcia’s continued role in ensuring stability as crucial.
With the transfer of the islands excluding Diego Garcia, the arrangement appears designed to strike a compromise—acknowledging Mauritius’ sovereignty while preserving critical military assets. The UK is expected to pay billions of pounds as part of the agreement.
The development marks a turning point in the geopolitics of the Indian Ocean and is likely to influence future alignments among regional powers, including India, China, and the US.
