Negotiations over the transfer of the Chagos Islands from Britain to Mauritius are focused on more than financial compensation, according to Mauritius’ Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and government sources.
Discussions resumed after Britain’s October agreement to return the Indian Ocean archipelago, a former colony, to Mauritius. The deal allows a UK-US military base to remain on Diego Garcia, the largest island. However, Mauritius’ new government, inaugurated last month, is revisiting aspects of the arrangement, including sovereignty and lease terms.
Prime Minister Ramgoolam emphasized that the talks are not limited to financial considerations. “It is about sovereignty and the duration of the lease. The tenant must not become the owner of Diego Garcia either,” Ramgoolam said in a statement on Tuesday.
His office dismissed reports in the British press regarding specific financial figures but did not provide further details.
A treasury official, speaking anonymously, affirmed that inflation adjustments had been overlooked in prior negotiations but denied that financial concerns were the sole motivation for resuming talks.
“The deal must address sovereignty, lease duration, and financial aspects,” the official said.
Under the proposed agreement, the UK would maintain a 99-year lease on Diego Garcia, which hosts a critical US military base. This base has been a key hub for long-range bombers and naval operations, including during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
Mauritius, a former British colony, gained independence in the 1960s, but the UK retained control of the Chagos Islands and leased them to the United States for military purposes. Thousands of Chagos islanders were forcibly removed, sparking decades-long legal battles for compensation in British courts.
The Mauritius government insists the deal must robustly address the islands’ sovereignty, ensure equitable lease terms, and reflect modern economic realities. While financial compensation remains a factor, Mauritius shows its broader ambitions to reclaim control over the islands and safeguard its territorial integrity.
