Sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is a matter solely between the United Kingdom and Mauritius, Britain said on Friday, responding to objections from the Maldives as regional tensions sharpen over surrounding waters.
The British Foreign Office said ““various courts, rulings and institutions have made clear that the question of sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago is between the UK and Mauritius.” The statement was issued in response to a question from Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency after the Maldives publicly rejected the UK-Mauritius agreement to transfer sovereignty of the archipelago.
The comments came as US President Donald Trump signalled that he now accepts the deal as the best available option, reversing his earlier criticism and stressing continued protection of the Diego Garcia military base.
President Mohamed Muizzu told parliament on Thursday that his administration had formally objected to the deal in letters sent to the UK on 8 November 2024 and 18 January 2026. He said the government rejected any decision affecting Maldivian interests linked to Chagos.
The British Foreign Office also stressed that the treaty covering Diego Garcia includes “robust security provisions” to protect the UK-US military base on the island. It said the agreement ensures the base remains secure for generations and preserves Britain’s ability to respond to a wide range of threats.
The UK and Mauritius signed the sovereignty transfer agreement in May last year, ending more than two centuries of British administration of Chagos. Under the deal, the United States and the UK would continue operating the Diego Garcia base under a lease arrangement for an initial 99 years. The agreement has not yet entered into force and awaits domestic ratification.
The UK response followed a sharp escalation by the Maldives, which this week said it had taken control of territorial waters in the northern Chagos area, directly challenging a ruling by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea on maritime boundaries between the Maldives and Mauritius.
The Ministry of Defence said the Maldives National Defence Force had launched a special surveillance operation covering up to 200 nautical miles from the southern baseline, using a Coast Guard vessel and Air Corps drones. The operation began on 4 February.
Muizzu said his government does not recognise any change to Maldivian territory as defined under the Constitution and national laws. He cited constitutional provisions and maritime legislation as the basis for continued military monitoring of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Under the tribunal’s ruling, the Maldives was awarded about 92,563 square kilometres of disputed maritime area while losing around 45,331 square kilometres from areas previously claimed as part of its exclusive economic zone. The decision drew in part on an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which found that sovereignty over Chagos lies with Mauritius and described Britain’s former administration of the islands as unlawful.
Muizzu has accused the previous administration of legal errors during the proceedings and announced a commission of inquiry into how the case was handled. The former government has rejected the allegation.
The dispute has also drawn attention in Washington. US President Donald Trump said this week he now views the UK-Mauritius deal, agreed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, as the best available option, after earlier criticising it. Trump said the United States would retain the right to secure and reinforce its presence on Diego Garcia if threatened.
The Chagos Archipelago lies about 500 kilometres south of the Maldives and comprises seven atolls and more than 60 islands in the central Indian Ocean.