‘Decolonisation of Mauritius complete’ as UK hands over sovereignty of Chagos Islands

The UK, under a historic agreement, has decided to hand over the sovereignty of Chagos Islands, including the strategically located tropical atoll of Diego Garcia, to Mauritius — a move India has welcomed.

The UK is giving up the rights on the islands after more than 50 years, which London said demonstrated its commitment to safeguarding global security and averting threats to peace in the Indian Ocean and wider Indo-Pacific.

Diego Garcia is a major military base for the US, as it has frontline warships and long-range bomber aircraft in the atoll.

Decolonisation of Mauritius complete

Indian government sources said New Delhi played a “quiet but important role” in the background in firming up of the deal between the UK and Mauritius.

In its reaction to the agreement between the UK and Mauritius, New Delhi said this significant understanding completes the decolonisation of Mauritius.

“We welcome the agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius on the return of Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago, including Diego Garcia,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

India committed to working with Mauritius

It said the resolution of the “longstanding Chagos dispute” after two years of negotiations, in compliance with international law, is a “welcome development”.

“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 MEA said in a statement.

It said India remains committed to working with Mauritius and other like-minded partners in strengthening maritime safety and security and contributing to enhance peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region.

British, Mauritian PMs hail “seminal” deal

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth hailed the deal on the Chagos islands as “seminal”.

New Delhi “firmly” backed the principled Mauritian position, supporting its stance on the need to do away with the last vestiges of decolonisation, the sources cited above said.

At the same time, India consistently encouraged both sides to negotiate with an open mind and with a view to achieving mutually beneficial outcomes, they said.

Undisputed status after 50 years

The UK and Mauritius have reached a historic agreement to secure the strategically important UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, which plays a crucial role in regional stability and international security, a readout by the British government said.

For the first time in more than 50 years, the status of the base will be undisputed and legally secure, following a political agreement between the UK and Mauritius, it said.

“The agreement underpins the UK’s steadfast duty to keep the country safe, with the operation of the military base unchanged, in an increasingly volatile world,” it said.

Safeguarding global security

London said the agreement is strongly supported by international partners, including the United States, which has joint operation of the strategic military base.

Without today’s agreement, the long-term, secure operation of the military base would be under threat, with contested sovereignty and legal challenges — including through various international courts and tribunals, it said.

“The agreement demonstrates the UK Government’s commitment to safeguarding global security and averting threats to peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean and wider Indo-Pacific,” it said.

“It sees Mauritius assume sovereignty over BIOT, with the UK authorised to exercise the sovereign rights of Mauritius on Diego Garcia,” the readout added.

US welcomes “historic agreement”

The US has also welcomed the “historic agreement” between Mauritius and the UK on the Chagos archipelago.

“I applaud the historic agreement and conclusion of the negotiations between the Republic of Mauritius and the United Kingdom on the status of the Chagos Archipelago,” US President Joe Biden said in a statement.

“This agreement affirms Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, while granting the United Kingdom the authority to exercise the sovereign rights of Mauritius with respect to Diego Garcia,” Biden said.

“Diego Garcia is the site of a joint US-UK military facility that plays a vital role in national, regional, and global security...The agreement secures the effective operation of the joint facility on Diego Garcia into the next century,” he added.

(With agency inputs)