UK denies it faces paying more for Chagos deal

The British government has denied claims by the Prime Minister of Mauritius regarding the UK facing increased payments in a renegotiated future agreement for the Chagos Islands. Last October, the UK announced it would cede sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius, while retaining a 99-year lease on the UK-US military airbase on Diego Garcia, the largest island.

However, shortly after the agreement was reached, Mauritius elected a new Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam, who wished to reopen negotiations. On Tuesday, he told his parliamentarians that new terms had been negotiated, meaning the UK's rental payments would be linked to inflation and paid in advance. But the UK Foreign Office said the figures cited were "inaccurate and misleading." A spokesperson stated: "The UK will only sign an agreement that is in our national interest."

The Mauritian Prime Minister said he was "confident" the new agreement would be approved, stating that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had indicated his intention to "move forward" with the renegotiated deal. Addressing Mauritian parliamentarians on Tuesday, Ramgoolam slammed the previous agreement, calling it a "sell-out" for Mauritius. He said: "We must be able to withstand inflation. What is the point of getting the money and at the end of the year you only have half left? That is what would have happened, we have done the calculations."

However, he did not disclose the specific amount the UK would pay, saying: "I cannot give the details, but let me say this, the package was very badly negotiated." He also stated that the old package had also been adjusted, so the UK would pay more "upfront" at the start of the agreement. The Mauritian leader added: "I think this is also being approved." Ramgoolam also stated that the UK would no longer be able to unilaterally extend the lease by 40 years.

The British government also denied this, with a Foreign Office spokesperson stating: "There has been no change to the extension clause in the treaty." Progress on the agreement was paused while the UK consulted the new US President, Donald Trump, on the deal. Efforts had previously been made to sign the treaty before Trump's inauguration on January 20. However, the UK changed tack, stating that it was "entirely reasonable" for the US administration "to consider the details of any agreement." Downing Street reiterated on Tuesday that it was "absolutely right" for the US to consider the agreement.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously raised concerns, stating that the agreement posed a threat to US security, given China's influence in the region. Mauritius has economic ties with China. Ramgoolam's words have also drawn the attention of political opponents of the UK government. Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel said that Keir "dares to tell the British people that they will pick up the bill and pay for his shame in giving away the Chagos Islands, as he isolates the new US administration by kowtowing to Mauritius and emboldening our enemies with his disastrous surrender deal."

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the Prime Minister should "come to Parliament and be honest with MPs" about what she called a "foolish deal." Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also voiced his opposition to the agreement, stating that if the UK relinquished sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, "our value to America" would be "massively diminished."

The UK seized control of the Chagos Islands (or British Indian Ocean Territory) from its then-colony of Mauritius in 1965 and evicted its 1,000+ inhabitants to make way for the Diego Garcia base. Mauritius, which gained independence from Britain in 1968, has consistently maintained that the islands are its own territory, and the UN's highest court ruled in an advisory opinion that the UK's administration of the territory was "unlawful." Chagos Islanders – some in Mauritius and the Seychelles, others living in the UK – are divided on the fate of their homeland. Some have criticised the agreement, saying they were not consulted in the negotiations.