Britain’s plan to transfer Chagos Islands to Mauritius

Britain’s plan to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has been put on indefinite hold after the US withdrew its support for the deal. The UK government today said legislation to ratify the agreement has run out of time in Parliament and is unlikely to be revived in the next session beginning on May 13.

In a statement, the British government stressed that Diego Garcia remains a vital strategic asset and said safeguarding its long-term security is the primary objective of the deal. It added that the agreement would only proceed with US support and that discussions with both the US and Mauritius are ongoing.