UK to transfer Chagos Islands to Mauritius, keep control of Diego Garcia base

The UK is set to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while retaining long-term control over the Diego Garcia military base under a 99-year lease. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritian officials are expected to formalize the deal in a virtual ceremony this week.

The United Kingdom is poised to sign a landmark agreement transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while securing long-term control over the strategic Diego Garcia military base, according to multiple media reports.

Under the terms of the deal, first outlined in October 2024, the UK will retain operational control of the base on Diego Garcia—the largest island in the Indian Ocean archipelago—under a 99-year lease. The base is jointly operated with the United States and serves as a key strategic asset for both nations.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to take part in a virtual signing ceremony alongside representatives from the Mauritian government, The Telegraph reported on Thursday.

The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965, just three years before Mauritius gained independence from Britain. The islands were subsequently designated as the British Indian Ocean Territory, a move that has remained a source of international controversy and legal disputes for decades.

Financial terms of the new agreement have not been officially disclosed, but UK media outlets have estimated the total cost of the arrangement to be around £9 billion, including long-term lease payments and development aid to Mauritius.

The agreement has received bipartisan support in Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office in November 2024, expressed his backing for the deal during a February meeting with Prime Minister Starmer. Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, had also supported the agreement during his term.

The deal is seen as a step toward resolving a long-standing colonial grievance while ensuring the continuation of one of the most important military installations in the Indian Ocean.

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