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Apr 11, 2026

UK postpones Chagos Islands handover to Mauritius after US President Trump blocks agreement

AI Summary
The United Kingdom has shelved legislation to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos archipelago to Mauritius, citing opposition from President Donald Trump. Both London and Port Louis reaffirm their commitment to the deal, while the US‑UK strategic partnership over the Diego Garcia base remains in flux.

The British government announced that it is putting on hold a bill that would return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, after President Donald Trump signaled a lack of US support for the arrangement.

A UK spokesperson told Reuters and AFP that the deal would only move forward with American backing, stating, "We have always said we would only proceed with the deal if it has US support." The statement added that the islands, particularly Diego Garcia, remain a critical military asset for both nations.

Last May, London and Port Louis unveiled a plan under which Britain would cede full sovereignty of the 60‑plus islands to Mauritius while retaining a 99‑year lease on Diego Garcia to preserve the US‑run base that anchors American power in the Indian Ocean.

Trump dismissed the proposal in January as an "act of great stupidity," arguing that relinquishing the archipelago would undermine the strategic partnership. In response, the UK reiterated that the base’s long‑term security is the primary reason for the agreement and that it continues to engage with both Washington and Mauritius.

At an Indian Ocean conference in Mauritius, Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful pledged that his government would "spare no effort" to pursue every diplomatic and legal avenue to complete the decolonisation of the Chagos archipelago, calling the issue a matter of justice.

After an initial softening of tone following a February conversation with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump later resumed his criticism on Truth Social, labeling the cession a "big mistake" and a "blight on our Great Ally." The dispute has unfolded against a backdrop of strained US‑UK relations over the ongoing US‑Israel conflict in Iran and the UK's leadership of a 30‑nation coalition protecting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz without US participation.

Former senior civil servant Simon McDonald told BBC Radio that Trump’s hostility has forced the agreement into a "deep freeze," noting that when the US president is openly opposed, the British government must reassess its position.

Britain has administered the Chagos Islands since 1814, even after Mauritius gained independence in the 1960s. The Diego Garcia base has been pivotal in US operations in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. The displaced Chagossian community continues to seek compensation, and a 2019 International Court of Justice advisory opinion recommended that the archipelago be returned to Mauritius.