Gov’t Tells BBC It Does Not Recognise UK Plan to Hand Chagos Islands to Mauritius

President Mohamed Muizzu has said his government does not recognise a proposed deal by the United Kingdom to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, according to reporting by the BBC.

BBC reports that the Maldivian government had formally opposed the agreement, describing it as “deeply concerning” in two written objections and during a phone call with UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

advertisement

The Maldives is asserting sovereignty over the archipelago and has indicated it could pursue international legal action to press its claim, the BBC reported.

BBC reports that the UK Foreign Office minister, Stephen Doughty, said the question of sovereignty over the Chagos Islands is a matter for Britain and Mauritius, not the Maldives.

According to the BBC, a UK government source said international courts had already considered the issue and found in favour of Mauritius. The UK has maintained that legal processes recognise Mauritius as the rightful sovereign.

In a detailed statement cited by the BBC, Muizzu’s office said the Maldives had written to the British government in November 2024 and January 2026 to formally object to the deal.

“These diplomatic communications articulate the government’s firm position: the decision by the British government to proceed in sole consultation with Mauritius — without due consideration of Maldivian interests — is deeply concerning,” the statement said.

“Consequently, the Maldives has formally communicated that it does not recognise the transfer of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius.

“This position is based on the profound historical and administrative ties between the Maldives and the archipelago, as well as the significant implications any such transfer holds for Maldivian sovereignty.”

Last year, the UK agreed to transfer control of the territory to Mauritius, while securing a lease arrangement for a joint UK-US military base on the largest island, Diego Garcia. Under the deal, Britain would lease the base for 99 years at an average annual cost of £101 million.

The proposed deal has drawn wider geopolitical attention. Donald Trump has criticised the plan, arguing it could undermine US security interests in the Indian Ocean, although both London and Port Louis have said military operations would continue uninterrupted.

The agreement has yet to be confirmed in UK law and appears to be on hold after Trump urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer not to proceed with the transfer.

Meanwhile, UK politician Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Reform Party, told the House of Commons last month that the Maldives could soon submit a claim to the International Court of Justice, arguing that if any country has a legitimate claim to the islands, it is the Maldives. He said the country had the “most claim, historically in trade and archaeology” and warned that transferring sovereignty could risk regional instability.

The agreement has yet to be confirmed in UK law and appears to be on hold after Trump urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer not to proceed with the transfer.