Context: The United Kingdom has agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, ending decades of British control over the Indian Ocean archipelago. Chagos was separated from Mauritius in 1965, when Mauritius was still a British colony.
The deal allows the UK and US to retain joint use of the Diego Garcia military base for 99 years.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Location Chagos Archipelago; Diego Garcia; 2024 UK-Mauritius Agreement.
Geography of Chagos Archipelago
- Chagos Islands - officially known as the British Indian Ocean Territory - comprise seven atolls with about 60 individual islands.
- Location: Located in the Indian Ocean, about 1,600 km northeast of Mauritius.
- Land Area: 56.1 sq km total, with Diego Garcia covering 32.5 sq km (which is comparable to Lakshadweep Island of India).
- Largest Atoll: Great Chagos Bank (12,642 sq km), the world’s largest atoll structure.
About Chagos Islands dispute
- Disputed Territory: Chagos Islands have been a point of contention between Mauritius and the UK since Mauritius gained independence in 1968.
- Recognition by UK: In 2024, the UK recognised Mauritius' sovereignty over Chagos but retained control over Diego Garcia, the largest island.
- Strategic Importance: Diego Garcia hosts a joint UK-US military base, crucial for military operations in Asia and the Indian Ocean.
British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) & Diego Garcia Base:
- Formation of BIOT (1965): UK created BIOT, separating Chagos from Mauritius, and paid £3 million for it.
- US-UK Secret Agreement (1966): Allowed the establishment of a US military base in Diego Garcia.
Strategic Importance of Diego Garcia
- The base became fully operational in 1986.
- Used in 1990-91 Gulf War, Iraq & Afghanistan wars and presently, it remains a key UK-US military outpost in the Indian Ocean.
Diplomatic developments: Mauritius has raised the issue of claim in international fora for decades.
- 2017: UNGA sought an ICJ ruling on the archipelago’s status.
- 2019 ICJ Ruling: Declared the UK must end its administration of Chagos “as rapidly as possible”.
- UNGA Resolution (2019): Called for UK’s unconditional withdrawal within six months.
2024 UK-Mauritius Agreement
- Terms of the Deal:
- The UK recognised Mauritius’ sovereignty over Chagos.
- Diego Garcia remains under UK control for 99 years for military operations.
- Mauritius can resettle Chagossians on islands except Diego Garcia.
India has welcomed the treaty signed between Mauritius and the United Kingdom, which restores Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia.
The Chagos dispute has strategic implications for India amid growing China influence in the region. Since India has facilitated the agreement between Mauritius and the UK, it has strengthened India’s position as the leader of the developing world.