Diego Garcia, the most important island within the Chagos archipelago and web site of a significant United States navy base in the course of the Indian Ocean. File
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
A invoice operationalising a U.Ok.-Mauritius treaty in U.Ok. legislation, recognising the sovereignty of Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago, is on pause within the British parliament whereas the U.Ok. authorities discusses considerations with the U.S. authorities. The Indian Ocean islands, are dwelling to Deigo Garica, which homes a U.Ok.-U.S. navy base.
The treaty, signed in Could 2025, would see Mauritius getting sovereignty over the archipelago whereas the U.Ok. could be given a 99-year lease for Diego Garcia and pay Mauritius a mean annual quantity of GBP 101 million.
“ We’ll convey that [legislation] again to Parliament on the applicable time. We’re pausing for discussions with our American counterparts,” U.Ok. International Workplace Minister Hamish Falconer stated on Wednesday (February 25, 2026) afternoon.
The treaty, which was mentioned over 11 rounds of negotiations between Mauritius and the previous Conservative U.Ok. authorities, has been referred to as into query after U.S. President Donald Trump, who gave his backing to the treaty, modified his thoughts and publicly referred to as for it to be reconsidered in newer weeks. As not too long ago as final week, Mr. Trump stated Diego Garcia shouldn’t be given away and prompt it might be wanted within the occasion of a U.S. strike on Iran.
Nothing within the U.Ok.-Mauritius deal had modified, Mr. Falconer, for the reason that U.S. administration had permitted it.
The British authorities’s goal was to make sure that the bottom in Diego Garcia was safe within the long-term, Mr. Falconer advised the Home of Commons. When the Labour authorities when it had took workplace discovered that the power of the U.Ok. to take care of management of the bottom was underneath risk and due to this fact it was compelled to behave, as per the minister.
“Refusing to behave might have uncovered one in every of our most useful navy property to China,” he stated, including that the federal government had inherited (from the Conservative Get together) the place the operation of the bottom was underneath “fast jeopardy”.
Mr Falconer’s remarks got here after an Pressing Query in Parliament from Reform U.Ok. chief Nigel Farage.
Maldives a “few days” away from claiming Chagos : Farage
“There isn’t any foundation, traditionally, culturally, in any means, for Mauritius to have a declare on these islands, and the Maldives are upset for 2 causes,” Mr. Farage stated. The primary motive was the decades-long stability within the area, as per Mr. Farage.
“And what occurs with this treaty, if it goes via, is you end up with a turf battle occurring between India and China within the area, and that certainly has already began,” he stated.
Mr. Farage additionally claimed that the Maldives would, in a “few days”, lodge a counter-claim to sovereignty over the Chagos Islands within the Worldwide Court docket of Justice and urged the federal government to pause the progress of executing the treaty.
Over the weekend, Mr Farage posted a video on social media from the Maldives claiming he had been denied entry to the Chagos Islands by the U.Ok. authorities. A allow is required to go to the islands.
Mr. Falconer reminded Mr Farage on Wednesday that he would have been turned away had he tried to movie a video at any U.Ok. navy base.
Revealed – February 25, 2026 11:24 pm IST