Places in News: Chagos Islands
Context:
President Donald Trump has sharply criticized the UK-Mauritius Treaty, calling the handover of Chagos islands an "act of great stupidity" and "total weakness." which his administration had previously supported
Sovereignty over Chagos archipelago has recently emerged as an issue of contestation between Mauritius and the UK, and the presence of American military troops has only served to consolidate the strategic importance of Chagos for the US in the Indian Ocean
Geography of Chagos Islands:
The Chagos Islands are an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, located approximately 5,800 miles south-east of the UK and 1,250 miles north-east of Mauritius.
They were designated as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) in 1965 when they were controversially detached from Mauritius (which was then a British colony) prior to its independence.
Its biggest island, Diego Garcia, is host to a highly important US military air base.
UK-Mauritius Treaty:
The United Kingdom and Mauritius signed a deal in May 2025 to give Mauritius sovereignty over the Chagos Islands after two centuries under British control, though the U.K. will lease back Diego Garcia where the U.S. base is located, for at least 99 years.
A crucial component of the deal is that the UK will lease back the island of Diego Garcia for an initial period of 99 years.
The UK will pay for this lease, with the total financial package estimated at £3.4 billion.
Strategic Importance of Diego Garcia Base:
Diego Garcia is the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago.
Diego Garcia is a strategically vital US military base in the Indian Ocean, administered by the UK, claimed by Mauritius.
It is central to Indo-Pacific power projection, and deeply entangled in issues of sovereignty, human rights, and great-power rivalry.
Early 2025, The United States (US) President Donald Trump has approved the United Kingdom’s decision to recognise Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, while retaining control of the joint US-UK military base on the largest island, Diego Garcia, through a 99-year lease.
Control over the island of Diego Garcia is part of American power projection in the Indian Ocean.
The lease ensures the continued operation of this base.
Historical Background & Human Rights
In the 1960s and 70s, the UK evicted thousands of Chagossians to make way for the U.S. base.
These displaced communities now reside primarily in the UK, Mauritius, and Seychelles.
The deal follows years of international pressure, including rulings from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the UN, urging Britain to return the islands to Mauritius to complete the decolonization process.