The Maldives has formally told Britain that it does not recognise the UK’s deal to hand sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, opening a new diplomatic challenge over one of the Indian Ocean’s most contested territories. The dispute adds fresh pressure to an agreement that has already faced legal and political opposition in Britain and among some Chagossians.
According to reports, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu said his government would not accept the arrangement, arguing that the deal fails to reflect the Maldives’ position and regional interests. The objection comes as Britain continues defending the agreement it reached with Mauritius, under which London agreed to transfer sovereignty while retaining long term access to the strategic Diego Garcia military base through a lease arrangement.
The Chagos deal has remained highly sensitive since Britain first agreed in 2024 to cede the islands to Mauritius after years of international pressure. Reuters reported in January that the agreement secured the future of the UK US military base on Diego Garcia for the next century, but it also drew criticism from lawmakers and islanders who oppose the transfer.
The latest intervention by the Maldives complicates that picture further. It suggests the sovereignty issue is not only a dispute between Britain and Mauritius, but one that could draw in other regional states with their own strategic and geographic concerns. That final point is an inference based on the Maldives’ reported refusal to recognise the deal and the continuing controversy around ratification.
For now, Britain has not signaled any reversal, and the Chagos agreement remains a flashpoint involving sovereignty, security, and the future of the Indian Ocean territory.
