UK reiterates Chagos sovereignty is a matter for UK and Mauritius alone, not the Maldives

The British government reiterated its stand on Tuesday that the question of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is a matter for the United Kingdom and Mauritius alone, and not the Maldives.

The latest rebuff comes after Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu wrote to British Prime Minister Andrew Burnham on Tuesday, inviting him for official talks and engagement on matters concerning the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands.

A spokesperson of the UK’s Foreign Office was quoted on Tuesday by the Press Association news agency as saying that “the question of sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is a matter for the UK and Mauritius, which is why the previous government launched negotiations with Mauritius on the issue in 2022, rather than with the Maldives”.

The UK Foreign Office had responded in the same vein back in February when the Maldives formally submitted objections to the UK over the Chagos handover plan back in February.

In his letter to PM Burnham, President Muizzu highlighted “the shared history and cultural ties between the Maldives and Chagos, as well as the Maldives’ longstanding support for major marine conservation and scientific research expeditions in the region.”

He also emphasized “the importance of meaningful dialogue between the UK and the Maldives on matters concerning the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago.”

In May 2025, the UK officially agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, ending over two centuries of British rule, in exchange for allowing the US and UK to continue operating the strategically important Diego Garcia military base for the next 99 years.

But the UK decided in April to shelve the plan after opposition from US President Donald Trump, who, in February, called the deal a “big mistake.”

The plan to hand over Chagos to Mauritius is also opposed by President Muizzu’s administration, which asserts that the Maldives has historical claims to the archipelago dating back centuries, and is also geographically closer to the islands than Mauritius.

The Maldivian Foreign Ministry had welcomed the decision by Britian to shelve the handover of Chagos Islands to Mauritius, stating that the government viewed the pause “as an opportunity to renew negotiations.”

Mauritius had decided to suspend all political relations with the Maldives in February over its stance on Chagos.

A month later, the Maldivian government announced it was pursuing a formal submission to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its objection to the Chagos deal.