Britain Cedes Chagos Islands while Retaining Diego Garcia
In a major geopolitical development, Britain has ceded claims to the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to Mauritius while retaining control of Diego Garcia, its strategic military base.
In a latest and major geopolitical development, Britain has settled its longstanding territorial dispute with Mauritius over the disputed Chagos Islands, in return, for a deal providing it with ownership of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain of 96 islands forming the Chagos Islands. The matter had been under dispute for a very long time with Mauritius staking claims to the disputed island since gaining its independence from the U.K. in the 1960s.
The latest development and the geopolitical deal, however, provides Britain with full ownership of Diego Garcia, its top secret, strategic military base in the region which is being operated by the nation, in collaboration, with the U.S. under the existing mutual defense agreement between the two nations. The development will effectively clear the way for over 1500-2000 former residents and their successive generations of these islands to return to their motherland after being displaced for decades after being forced to move to Mauritius, Seychelles and the U.K.
The US President, Joe Biden, appreciated the overall outcome while saying "clear demonstration that through diplomacy and partnership, countries can overcome long-standing historical challenges to reach peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes".
He further underscored the importance of Diego Garcia as a strategic military base which "plays a vital role in national, regional, and global security."
Diego Garcia, as the military base, has significant strategic value and relevance for the U.S.-U,K, strategic partnership as effectively demonstrated during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars earlier following 9/11 with U.S. & NATO bombers extensively using the airstrip on the base as the launchpad for conducting air strikes on Afghanistan & Iraq besides utilizing it for aerial refueling and for providing support to naval vessels and submarines operating in the region.
Recently, in August 2024, USAF's two B-2 Spirit bombers, visiting the region, landed on and received hot-pitting at Diego Garcia. Further, in the ongoing strategic competition between the U.S. and China for dominance, influence and control of global order; the strategic location of Diego Garcia in the Indo-Pacific, in the very close proximity of China, is of paramount importance, just as it had against the Soviet Union through the Cold War decades...
Image: USAF's B-2 Spirit Bombers in flying formation in the IOR after hot-pitting at Diego Garcia. Credits: Royal Australian Air Force Photo by FSGT Christopher Dickson.