Maldives urges UK to reopen Chagos Islands sovereignty negotiations

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has called on British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to reopen discussions over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, arguing that the Maldives should have been consulted before Britain agreed to transfer control of the strategically important Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius.

In a letter to Burnham, Muizzu said there was a need for "meaningful dialogue" between Britain and the Maldives over sovereignty issues involving the Chagos Islands, according to a statement issued by the Maldivian presidential office on Tuesday.

The Maldivian government argues that its claim to the islands is supported by historical connections and geographical proximity. The Chagos archipelago lies roughly 500km (310 miles) from the Maldives, while Mauritius is located more than four times farther away.

The islands are strategically significant because they include Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago and the site of a major joint British-American military facility.

Diego Garcia sits in a strategically important position in the central Indian Ocean, providing the United States and Britain with a military base between Africa and Asia. Britain leases the facility to the United States under a 99-year arrangement.

Muizzu said he was "deeply disappointed" that the Maldives was not consulted when former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reached an agreement with Mauritius in May 2025 to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands.

He urged Burnham to address what he described as an oversight by his predecessor and reconsider the UK's approach to the issue.

The Maldivian president also pointed to what he described as longstanding historical and cultural links between the Maldives and Chagos. He highlighted the Maldives' involvement in marine conservation initiatives and scientific research expeditions in the surrounding region.

Britain and Mauritius have been negotiating the future of the islands since 2022. Starmer's government finalised a multibillion-dollar agreement in 2025 under which Mauritius would gain sovereignty, while Britain would retain control of Diego Garcia and allow the US military presence there to continue.

The proposed agreement has faced political and legal complications.

In April 2026, Britain put the legislation needed to implement the agreement on hold after the administration of US President Donald Trump failed to support the deal. Mauritius has nevertheless continued to press for the return of sovereignty over the islands.

The British government has rejected the Maldives' argument that it should be involved in the sovereignty negotiations.

A Foreign Office spokesperson said Tuesday that sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago was an issue between Britain and Mauritius, explaining that the previous British government had therefore negotiated with Mauritius rather than the Maldives.

The dispute comes as competing claims over the Chagos Islands continue to attract attention because of the archipelago's strategic location and the importance of the Diego Garcia military base to US and British defence operations in the Indian Ocean.