Mauritius Denies Receiving US Acquisition Proposal of Chagos Islands

By Al Mayadeen English

8 Jun 2026 20:18

Mauritius insists that its sovereignty over the archipelago is non-negotiable despite claims that Washington is exploring alternatives to Britain's planned transfer of the territory

Mauritius on Monday said it has not received any proposal from the United States regarding the future of the Chagos Islands, after media reports suggested that the administration of US President Donald Trump was considering options that could involve purchasing the archipelago, The Straits Times reported.

In a statement, the Mauritian government said it had seen reports published by The Telegraph but stressed that no communication had been made by Washington on the matter.

"The Mauritian government has taken note of the information reported by the Telegraph. As of today, it has not received any official proposal and has not been approached, either directly or indirectly, by the US administration regarding a separate agreement concerning Diego Garcia or the Chagos Archipelago," it said.

Port Louis reiterated that its position on the territory remains unchanged.

"Mauritius's position remains unchanged: its sovereignty over the Chagos (Archipelago) is non-negotiable."

Chagos purchase proposal

The comments followed a report by The Telegraph claiming that officials in Washington were examining a number of alternatives to a planned British agreement that would transfer sovereignty over the islands to Mauritius while preserving Western military access to Diego Garcia.

According to the newspaper, one proposal being discussed within the White House would involve the United States seeking to acquire the archipelago directly from Mauritius after sovereignty is transferred from Britain. The report said the idea was included among several contingency options being developed as alternatives to the British-backed arrangement.

The discussions are reportedly being driven by concerns over the long-term status of Diego Garcia, a major US-British military installation regarded by Washington as one of its most important overseas bases. Reports indicate that some US officials fear Mauritian control of the territory could eventually complicate military operations or create strategic uncertainty in the Indian Ocean amid growing competition with China.

Trump questions handover deal

The reported discussions come amid continuing uncertainty over a deal negotiated by London to resolve the long-running dispute over the archipelago. The agreement would see Britain recognize Mauritian sovereignty while securing continued access to the strategically important Diego Garcia military facility through a long-term lease arrangement.

Earlier this year, the British government paused progress on the agreement following criticism from Trump and concerns raised by some US officials about the implications for the future of the base.

Trump publicly criticized the arrangement in February, calling it a "big mistake".

Colonial legacy persists

The Chagos Islands have remained the subject of an international sovereignty dispute for decades. Britain separated the territory from Mauritius prior to Mauritian independence and later forced thousands of Chagossians out of the islands to facilitate the construction of the joint US-British military base on Diego Garcia.

International legal bodies, including the International Court of Justice, have previously concluded that Britain's administration of the islands should come to an end and that the decolonization of Mauritius should be completed.

Under the framework previously outlined by London, Britain would transfer sovereignty to Mauritius while paying approximately £101 million annually to maintain operations at the installation, which remains a key hub for US and British military activities across the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, and beyond.