What to Know about the Deal by Britain to Surrender the Chagos Islands

The Chagos Islands, a disputed archipelago in the Indian Ocean home to a crucial U.S.-U.K. military base, are up for debate following a deal by the U.K. to hand the territory to Mauritius. The islands, governed by the U.K. since 1814, were split from Mauritius and made a British colony in 1965, after which the local population was forcibly removed to build the Diego Garcia base.

Criticism against Britain's control over the islands rose in recent years, with the UN and the International Court of Justice urging the U.K. to end its "colonial administration" and transfer sovereignty to Mauritius. Negotiations for the transfer began in 2022, and the U.K. signed an agreement in May 2025 to lease Diego Garcia back to Mauritius for at least 99 years at $159 million per year.

The Trump administration had initially supported the deal, but after Trump denounced the agreement in January, it was put on hold. Although Burnham has pledged to find a solution for Britain, the U.S., and Mauritius, some, like Conservative Party defense spokesperson James Cartlidge, urge him to abandon the deal and allocate the money to the U.K.'s troops.