The Chagos Islands
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: TG
Subject: Mapping
Context: The UK government is facing conflicting reports regarding a pause in the Chagos Islands sovereignty deal with Mauritius following opposition from US President Donald Trump.
About The Chagos Islands:
What it is?
• The Chagos Islands, also known as the Chagos Archipelago, is a group of seven atolls comprising more than 60 individual tropical islands. It is officially administered as the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), though its sovereignty is heavily contested.
Located In: The archipelago is situated in the Indian Ocean, approximately 500 kilometers south of the Maldives.
• It sits atop the Chagos–Laccadive Ridge, a massive submarine mountain range.
Origin: The islands are coralline rock structures formed by volcanic activity over the Réunion hotspot.
• They consist of low-lying atolls set around central lagoons, including the Great Chagos Bank, which is the world’s largest atoll structure.
History:
• Colonial Era: Originally settled by the French in the 18th century (administered via Mauritius), the islands were ceded to the United Kingdom in 1814 under the Treaty of Paris.
• The Split (1965): Before granting Mauritius independence, the UK detached the Chagos Archipelago to create the BIOT.
• Expulsion (1967–1973): The UK forcibly removed the native Chagossian people to make way for a strategic US military base on the largest island, Diego Garcia.
• Legal Battles: For decades, displaced Chagossians and the Mauritian government have fought for the right of return and sovereignty. In 2019, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the UK’s occupation was illegal.
Features:
• Diego Garcia: The largest and most significant island (32.5 $km^2$), hosting a critical joint UK-US naval and air support facility.
• Biodiversity: Home to some of the world’s most resilient coral reefs and the world’s largest coral atoll.
• Strategic Location: Its mid-ocean position provides a vital military “foothold” for monitoring the Indian Ocean and surrounding regions.
• Demographics: Currently, there is no permanent civilian population; the islands are inhabited only by military personnel and contractors.
Current Status:
• In October 2024, the UK announced an agreement to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius, with a deal signed in May 2025.
• Under this treaty, the UK would lease back Diego Garcia for 99 years to maintain the military base.
• However, as of early 2026, the ratification process in the UK Parliament is reportedly being paused or delayed due to concerns raised by the United States administration regarding the security of the base.