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Maldives formally opposes Chagos Islands transfer to Mauritius
Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has declared his country does not recognize the UK's agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, escalating a long-standing territorial dispute in the Indian Ocean.
Diplomatic objections raised
Muizzu's office confirmed to the BBC that the Maldives has lodged two written protests and held a phone call with UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy to express its opposition. The objections describe the deal as "deeply concerning" for failing to consider Maldivian interests.
In a statement, the Maldivian government argued the UK's decision to negotiate solely with Mauritius ignored its own historical and administrative ties to the archipelago. "Any transfer of the Chagos Archipelago must account for Maldivian interests," Muizzu told Lammy in December 2025.
Historical claims and legal threats
The Maldives asserts sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, citing centuries-old connections. A government statement emphasized that "by virtue of historical and geographical proximity," the Maldives holds a "prior claim" over any other nation, including Mauritius.
Muizzu's office said it is reviewing international rulings, including a 2019 International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion that deemed Britain's 1965 separation of the islands from Mauritius unlawful. The Maldives has not ruled out filing its own case with the ICJ to challenge the transfer.
UK and Mauritius respond
UK Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty maintained that the Chagos Islands' sovereignty is a bilateral matter between Britain and Mauritius. A government source noted that international courts have repeatedly sided with Mauritius, including a 2023 International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) ruling that reinforced the ICJ's position.
The UK agreed in 2025 to transfer control of the islands-officially the British Indian Ocean Territory-to Mauritius, while securing a £101 million annual lease for a joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, the archipelago's largest island. However, the deal remains unratified in UK law and appears stalled after US President Donald Trump urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to abandon it.
Political and humanitarian fallout
Trump's intervention, posted on Truth Social in February 2026, contradicted the US State Department's official support for the UK-Mauritius agreement. His remarks-"this land should not be taken away from the UK"-have emboldened opponents, including the UK's Conservative and Reform parties, who argue the deal undermines British sovereignty.
Chagossian communities, forcibly removed from the islands in the 1960s and 1970s, also oppose the transfer. Many view it as a betrayal and advocate for UK retention of the territory to facilitate their eventual return.
What's next
The Maldives has vowed to "pursue all available avenues" to press its claim, including potential legal action. Meanwhile, the UK government faces pressure from multiple fronts, with the deal's future increasingly uncertain.
"We remain hopeful that the United Kingdom, as a long-standing partner, will engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve this matter in a spirit of mutual respect and historical accuracy."
Statement from Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu's office
