Maldives asks UK to reopen sovereignty talks over Chagos Islands

What the report says

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has asked the UK to reopen discussions over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, arguing that the archipelago should not be transferred to Mauritius. In a letter to UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Muizzu said the Maldives wanted meaningful dialogue on the issue and expressed concern that the UK was moving ahead with a handover without consulting Malé.

The request adds a new voice to a long-running dispute over the islands, which are strategically located in the Indian Ocean and include Diego Garcia, home to a major UK-US military facility. The Maldives says it has historical and geographic reasons for its claim, noting that the islands are closer to its territory than to Mauritius. Al Jazeera reported that the UK and Mauritius have been engaged in sovereignty talks since 2022, and that a transfer deal was previously finalised under Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer, in May 2025.

Muizzu said he was disappointed by the lack of consultation and urged Burnham to correct what he described as an oversight. He also pointed to shared history, cultural links and Maldivian support for marine conservation and scientific research in the region.

The dispute matters because control of the Chagos Islands affects a key military base and broader regional geopolitics. A UK Foreign Office spokesperson, quoted by Press Association, said sovereignty is a matter for the UK and Mauritius, underscoring why the Maldives’ request may face limited immediate traction.