Britain hands over the strategic Chagos Islands to Mauritius but retains control of Diego Garcia military base in a $3.4 billion deal that ensures continued American military dominance in the Indian Ocean while local residents remain displaced and excluded from negotiations.
Key Takeaways
- The UK has transferred sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining control of the Diego Garcia military base through a 99-year lease costing £101 million annually.
- Diego Garcia hosts a critical US naval and bomber base essential for American military operations and global strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific region.
- The deal includes protections against foreign adversaries, including a 24 nautical mile buffer zone and bans on foreign security forces in nearby islands.
- Approximately 10,000 displaced Chagossians remain largely excluded from negotiations despite a proposed £40 million trust fund for their benefit.
- The agreement received support from the US and other Five Eyes partners as necessary to maintain a strategic military presence in an increasingly contested region.
Strategic Military Base Preserved Amid Sovereignty Transfer
Britain and Mauritius have finalized a landmark agreement transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while ensuring Britain retains control of the strategically vital Diego Garcia military base. The deal, valued at approximately £3.4 billion, includes a 99-year lease with an option for an additional 40 years. This arrangement guarantees continued British and American military presence in the Indian Ocean at a time when regional tensions with China and other adversaries are escalating.
The agreement follows years of international pressure on Britain to return the islands to Mauritius, including rulings from the International Court of Justice and the United Nations General Assembly. Under the deal, Britain will pay Mauritius £101 million annually for the lease while maintaining full operational control of the Diego Garcia base. The arrangement includes specific provisions to prevent adversaries from establishing a presence near the base, such as a 24 nautical mile buffer zone and restrictions on foreign security forces in the outer islands.
Diego Garcia’s Critical Role in US Military Strategy
Diego Garcia serves as an essential platform for American military operations throughout the Indo-Pacific region. The remote island hosts significant naval facilities and an airbase capable of supporting long-range bomber operations. Its strategic location allows US forces to project power across the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, and parts of Asia while maintaining operational security due to its isolated position. The base has played a crucial role in conflicts ranging from the Gulf Wars to counterterrorism operations against ISIS.
“As the world becomes more dangerous, our military base on Diego Garcia becomes more important. Today’s Treaty secures full operational control, strengthens our UK-US defence partnership and keeps British people safe at home for the next 99 years and beyond,” said Defence Secretary John Healey MP.
The United States has consistently referred to Diego Garcia as “an all but indispensable platform” for its military operations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed support for the agreement, recognizing that without this deal, ongoing legal challenges might have rendered the base inoperable. The arrangement ensures that US forces maintain access to what many military strategists consider an irreplaceable strategic asset in an increasingly contested region where China continues to expand its influence.
Displaced Chagossians Left Out of Negotiations
Despite the celebratory tone from British and Mauritian officials, approximately 10,000 displaced Chagossians and their descendants remain largely excluded from negotiations about their homeland. These islanders were forcibly removed from the archipelago between 1967 and 1973 to make way for the military base, with most relocated to Mauritius, Seychelles, and the United Kingdom. Human Rights Watch has claimed that Britain’s actions against the Chagossians amount to crimes against humanity.
“I’m beyond horrified and angry,” one Chagossian campaigner.
The agreement includes a £40 million trust fund for Chagossians, but details about potential resettlement rights remain unclear. Many displaced islanders express frustration at being denied the opportunity to return to their ancestral lands. Meanwhile, Mauritius celebrates the deal as a “historic day” and the culmination of a 60-year struggle against colonial control. The agreement still requires approval from Britain’s Parliament before taking full effect.
British Domestic Opposition to the Deal
The agreement has faced significant criticism from some UK politicians who view it as surrendering British territory. Conservative MPs have characterized the deal as a “negotiating failure” and “abject surrender,” arguing that Britain had no legal obligation to transfer sovereignty. Critics suggest the arrangement sets a dangerous precedent that could affect other British overseas territories while costing taxpayers billions of pounds over the century-long lease.
“By agreeing to this deal now on our terms, we’re securing strong protections, including from malign influence, that will allow the base to operate well into the next century, helping to keep us safe for generations to come,” said Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Prime Minister Starmer has defended the agreement as necessary to preserve the military base’s operations in the face of mounting international legal pressure. The deal briefly faced a legal challenge when a London court initially issued an injunction to halt the transfer, but this was later discharged. Proponents argue that without this agreement, Britain risked losing access to Diego Garcia entirely through adverse international court rulings, which would have severely impacted Western military capabilities in a strategically vital region.
