Watch: Why is the UK reviewing its Chagos Islands deal?

September 23, 2026

The United Kingdom is reconsidering its agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius following criticism from US President Donald Trump, who denounced the deal as "terrible" during the UN General Assembly. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting announced the review is necessary due to lack of American support for the arrangement. Under the original terms, Britain would have relinquished control of the territory to Mauritius while paying approximately £101 million annually to maintain access to a strategically important joint UK-US military installation located there.

Who is affected

The United Kingdom government
Mauritius
The United States
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting
US President Donald Trump
The joint UK-US military base personnel and operations in the Chagos Islands

What action is being taken

The UK is reviewing the deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius
The government's agreement with Mauritius has stalled

Why it matters

This matters because the Chagos Islands house a strategically important joint UK-US military base in the Indian Ocean. The lack of US support for the sovereignty transfer threatens a deal that would have required the UK to pay £101 million annually while losing direct control of a territory with significant military and geopolitical value. The review reflects the critical importance of maintaining US cooperation on matters of shared defense infrastructure and strategic positioning.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC