UK Facing 2 Legal Threats As Maldives Disputes Mauritius Chagos Islands Deal

The Maldives has officially notified the British government that it does not recognise the agreement to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, asserting its own “prior claim” to the archipelago.

In a significant escalation of the Indian Ocean territorial dispute, President Mohamed Muizzu’s office confirmed to the BBC that the Maldives has issued two written objections—sent in November 2024 and January 2026—and held a direct telephone call with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy to oppose the “deeply concerning” deal.

Male is now threatening international legal action to press its sovereignty, arguing that the islands rightfully belong to the Maldives based on “profound historical and administrative ties” dating back centuries.

A deal in deadlock

The UK government agreed last year to transfer control of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius, citing risks that the future of the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia would be threatened by international rulings if a deal was not struck.

Under the proposed terms, the UK would pay an average of £101m per year to lease the base.

However, the agreement has hit a series of domestic and international roadblocks:

• US Opposition: President Donald Trump has urged Sir Keir Starmer not to give up the territory, stating in February that the land “should not be taken away from the UK.”
• Legislative Delay: The deal has not yet been enshrined in UK law and currently appears to be indefinitely on hold.
• Domestic Criticism: The Conservative Party, Reform UK, and many Chagossians oppose the transfer, with the latter viewing the deal as a betrayal of their desire to return home under British sovereignty.

Competing legal claims

The Maldives’ intervention complicates an already dense legal landscape.

In 2023, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) strengthened Mauritian claims by endorsing a 2019 International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion, which labeled Britain’s 1965 separation of the islands from Mauritius as unlawful.

President Muizzu’s office stated it is now reviewing these judgements but maintains that the Maldives holds a superior claim over any other state due to “historical and geographical proximity.”

“If sovereignty is to be vested in any nation, it must rightfully be the Maldives,” the President’s office said, adding that the government would “pursue all available avenues” for a formal submission to the ICJ.

The British response

The Foreign Office has remained firm on its current path. Minister Stephen Doughty stated that the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands is a matter strictly for Britain and Mauritius.

Government sources further noted that international courts have already considered the matter and found in favour of Mauritius.

The Maldives continues to call for “meaningful dialogue” with the UK to resolve the dispute, even as it prepares for potential litigation that could further destabilise the proposed handover.

Source: BBC