The Crossbill News Desk
India has welcomed the agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius on the transfer of sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, describing it as a major step in completing the decolonisation of the Indian Ocean nation in line with international law and a rules-based order.
The deal, announced on May 23 by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, comes seven months after both countries reached an initial understanding. It provides for the transfer of sovereignty over the archipelago to Mauritius, with the largest island, Diego Garcia, being leased back to the UK for £101 million annually to enable continued joint military operations.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement hailing the formal resolution of the long-standing Chagos dispute as a “milestone achievement” and reiterated India’s consistent support for Mauritius’s claim over the territory.
“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 statement said.
India also underlined the strategic importance of the region and reaffirmed its commitment to maritime security and regional stability in the Indian Ocean.
The UK had detached the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965, three years before Mauritius gained independence, and leased Diego Garcia to the United States in 1966. This led to the forced displacement of the island’s inhabitants.
In 2017, the UN General Assembly sought an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality of the UK’s continued control over the islands. India, resisting pressure from the Trump administration to persuade Mauritius to withdraw its case, strongly backed Mauritius at the ICJ, both in writing and in oral submissions. India argued that Mauritius’s leaders had given their assent to the 1965 agreement under duress.
In 2019, the ICJ ruled that the UK’s administration of the Chagos Islands was unlawful and must end “as rapidly as possible.” The ruling was backed by a UN General Assembly resolution later that year, with 116 countries voting in favour of returning the archipelago to Mauritius within six months.
In 2015, the Permanent Court of Arbitration had also ruled against the UK, finding that its declaration of a marine protected area around Chagos violated international law.
Also read: India Welcomes Resolution of Chagos Islands Dispute Between UK and Mauritius
The final agreement includes an annual lease arrangement for Diego Garcia, a 99-year initial term extendable by 40 years, and a UK veto over any infrastructure development within 24 nautical miles of the island. A £40 million trust fund has also been established for displaced Chagossians and Mauritian development. The treaty requires the UK to promptly notify Mauritius of any military actions launched from the base.
Explaining the rationale behind the agreement, Prime Minister Starmer warned that continued defiance of international legal rulings would jeopardise the UK’s control over the military base and potentially render it inoperable.
“Even if we chose to ignore judgments made against us, international organisations and other countries would act on them,” Starmer said.
He highlighted the importance of sovereign rights over the electromagnetic spectrum, which is essential to defence capabilities, and noted that uncertainty could allow rivals such as China to challenge the UK’s presence.
“The use of spectrum is key to understanding and anticipating those who seek to do us harm. If our right to control it is put into doubt, we would lose the first line of defence against other countries who wish to interfere and disrupt this capability,” he added.
Starmer also acknowledged that the UK was compelled to act by the growing risk of legal defeat in international forums. A last-minute legal challenge by a UK citizen of Chagossian origin briefly threatened to delay the treaty, but was quickly dismissed by the High Court.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the deal, saying it secured the future of the US-UK military base at Diego Garcia, a key asset for regional and global security. He confirmed that the Trump administration had supported the agreement following an interagency review, and noted that former President Trump had endorsed the treaty in a recent meeting with Starmer at the White House.
The agreement has sparked criticism in the UK, particularly from opposition parties. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage voiced concerns about Mauritius’s perceived closeness to China, arguing that ceding sovereignty could benefit Beijing.
The deal, announced on May 23 by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, comes seven months after both countries reached an initial understanding. It provides for the transfer of sovereignty over the archipelago to Mauritius, with the largest island, Diego Garcia, being leased back to the UK for £101 million annually to enable continued joint military operations.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement hailing the formal resolution of the long-standing Chagos dispute as a “milestone achievement” and reiterated India’s consistent support for Mauritius’s claim over the territory.
“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 statement said.
India also underlined the strategic importance of the region and reaffirmed its commitment to maritime security and regional stability in the Indian Ocean.
The UK had detached the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965, three years before Mauritius gained independence, and leased Diego Garcia to the United States in 1966. This led to the forced displacement of the island’s inhabitants.
In 2017, the UN General Assembly sought an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality of the UK’s continued control over the islands. India, resisting pressure from the Trump administration to persuade Mauritius to withdraw its case, strongly backed Mauritius at the ICJ, both in writing and in oral submissions. India argued that Mauritius’s leaders had given their assent to the 1965 agreement under duress.
In 2019, the ICJ ruled that the UK’s administration of the Chagos Islands was unlawful and must end “as rapidly as possible.” The ruling was backed by a UN General Assembly resolution later that year, with 116 countries voting in favour of returning the archipelago to Mauritius within six months.
In 2015, the Permanent Court of Arbitration had also ruled against the UK, finding that its declaration of a marine protected area around Chagos violated international law.
Also read: India Welcomes Resolution of Chagos Islands Dispute Between UK and Mauritius
The final agreement includes an annual lease arrangement for Diego Garcia, a 99-year initial term extendable by 40 years, and a UK veto over any infrastructure development within 24 nautical miles of the island. A £40 million trust fund has also been established for displaced Chagossians and Mauritian development. The treaty requires the UK to promptly notify Mauritius of any military actions launched from the base.
Explaining the rationale behind the agreement, Prime Minister Starmer warned that continued defiance of international legal rulings would jeopardise the UK’s control over the military base and potentially render it inoperable.
“Even if we chose to ignore judgments made against us, international organisations and other countries would act on them,” Starmer said.
He highlighted the importance of sovereign rights over the electromagnetic spectrum, which is essential to defence capabilities, and noted that uncertainty could allow rivals such as China to challenge the UK’s presence.
“The use of spectrum is key to understanding and anticipating those who seek to do us harm. If our right to control it is put into doubt, we would lose the first line of defence against other countries who wish to interfere and disrupt this capability,” he added.
Starmer also acknowledged that the UK was compelled to act by the growing risk of legal defeat in international forums. A last-minute legal challenge by a UK citizen of Chagossian origin briefly threatened to delay the treaty, but was quickly dismissed by the High Court.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the deal, saying it secured the future of the US-UK military base at Diego Garcia, a key asset for regional and global security. He confirmed that the Trump administration had supported the agreement following an interagency review, and noted that former President Trump had endorsed the treaty in a recent meeting with Starmer at the White House.
The agreement has sparked criticism in the UK, particularly from opposition parties. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage voiced concerns about Mauritius’s perceived closeness to China, arguing that ceding sovereignty could benefit Beijing.
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