UK and Mauritius Discuss Future of Chagos Islands and Diego Garcia Base

Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Navin Ramgoolam emphasize the need for a deal that secures military operations and addresses sovereignty concerns.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam held their first direct talks on the Chagos Islands sovereignty negotiations.
The UK plans to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius while retaining a 99-year lease for the Diego Garcia military base, a joint UK-US strategic asset.
Starmer stressed the importance of ensuring 'strong protections' for the base, including safeguards against 'malign influence,' during the ongoing negotiations.
Mauritius' new government, led by Ramgoolam, has initiated a review of the provisional deal agreed upon by the previous administration, leaving the agreement unratified.
The deal has raised security concerns in the US, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning it could bolster China's influence in the Indian Ocean region.