General James Hockenhull (L), Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Britain’s Defence Secretary John Healey (R), attend a press conference following a deal on the Chagos Islands at Northwood Military Headquarters on May 22, 2025, in London, England.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

India on Thursday (May 22, 2025) welcomed the U.K.’s decision to hand over the sovereignty of Chagos Islands including tropical atoll of Diego Garcia to Mauritius under a historic deal.

The U.K. is giving up the rights of the islands after more than 50 years.

Under the agreement, the U.K. will have full responsibility for security of strategically-located Diego Garcia.

In its reaction, India said it has consistently supported Mauritius’s “legitimate claim” over the Chagos Archipelago in keeping with its principled position on “decolonisation, respect for sovereignty, and the territorial integrity of nations”.

We welcome the signing of the treaty between the UK and Mauritius on the return of Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

“The formal resolution of the longstanding Chagos dispute through this bilateral treaty is a milestone achievement and a positive development for the region,” it said in a statement.

“This is further to the understanding between the two sides reached in October 2024, and marks the culmination of the process of decolonisation of Mauritius in the spirit of international law and rules-based order,” the MEA said.

It said India remains committed to working closely with Mauritius and other like-minded countries to strengthen maritime security and regional stability and ensure peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region.