The debate over the future of the Chagos Islands has resurfaced after the United Kingdom postponed a parliamentary vote on legislation linked to the transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius, prompting renewed commentary from Maldivian political leaders.
President Mohamed Nasheed said the delay presents an opportunity for the Maldives to restate its position on the islands, which are known in Dhivehi as Foalhavahi. Writing on social media platform X on Saturday, President Nasheed said the possibility of pursuing what he described as sovereign guardianship over Chagos remains open.
His comments came amid reports that the UK House of Lords was preparing to consider legislation connected to an agreement between Britain and Mauritius. Under that agreement, sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago would be transferred to Mauritius, while the United Kingdom would retain long-term control of the United States–United Kingdom military base on Diego Garcia through a lease arrangement.
President Nasheed argued that the Maldives has grounds to assert a claim over Chagos, citing historical links, Dhivehi inscriptions found on gravestones on the islands, and their geographical proximity to Maldivian waters.
The remarks follow recent statements by President Mohamed Muizzu, who raised similar arguments in an interview with the British newspaper Express earlier this week. President Muizzu said the Maldives has a stronger claim to sovereignty over Chagos than Mauritius on historical and geographical grounds, and confirmed that the country’s position had been conveyed to the UK Government through official correspondence. He said the details of those discussions could not be disclosed.
In a separate statement issued in November 2024, President Muizzu said documents indicate that Chagos is more closely connected to the Maldives than to Mauritius, while also criticising the previous administration over what he described as the loss of a large portion of the Maldives’ maritime territory without public consent.
The Chagos Islands were separated from Mauritius by Britain in 1965, during the colonial period, and later leased to the United States for the operation of a military base on Diego Garcia until at least 2036.
In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion declaring the United Kingdom’s continued administration of Chagos unlawful and calling for the completion of Mauritius’ decolonisation. The United Nations General Assembly has since adopted multiple resolutions supporting that position.
Separately, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ruled in April 2024 on the maritime boundary dispute between the Maldives and Mauritius. The tribunal held that maritime delimitation should be based primarily on the coastline of the Chagos Islands, resulting in a significant portion of the disputed maritime area being awarded to the Maldives.
