NEW DELHI — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday backed Mauritius’ claim over the Chagos islands — home to a U.S.-U.K. military base — amid efforts to reach a formal treaty to resolve a decades-old dispute between London and Port Louis.
“A free, open, secure and safe Indian Ocean is our shared priority,” Modi said in Hindi during a joint media appearance with Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, against a backdrop of China’s expanding influence in the region. Modi is in the Mauritian capital for a two-day state visit through Wednesday.
“In the context of Chagos, we fully respect the sovereignty of Mauritius,” he added. “We will enhance our cooperation through forums such as the Colombo Security Conclave, Indian Ocean Rim Association and Indian Ocean Conference.
“Whether it is the Global South, the Indian Ocean or the African continent, Mauritius is our important partner,” Modi said.
Mauritius was a French colony for nearly a century before it was captured by the British in 1810. While it gained independence in 1968, the British retained control of Chagos archipelago, a group of seven atolls with about 60 islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
The U.K. leased Diego Garcia, the largest island in the archipelago, to the U.S. to set up a strategic military base. In the process, up to 2,000 islanders were displaced by force.
There has been a long-running dispute between Mauritius and U.K. over Chagos, and India has always supported Mauritius’ rights over the islands.
India established diplomatic relations with Mauritius in 1948 even before the latter gained independence. About 70% of the Mauritius’ 1.2 million population is of Indian heritage.
The U.K. and Mauritius reached an agreement in October last year for the return of Chagos to Port Louis control. As part of that deal, Mauritius would allow the operation of the U.S.-U.K. military base for an initial period of 99 years. India welcomed the October agreement.
An aerial view of Diego Garcia realeased by the U.S. Navy. (Photh by U.S. Navy via AP)However, that agreement has yet to be finalized, given that the current Ramgoolam government only took charge in November and U.S. President Donald Trump assumed office in January.
During British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Washington late February, Trump indicated that he would back the deal.
“We’re going to have some discussions about that very soon, and I have a feeling it’s going to work out very well,” Trump said then. “They’re talking about a very long-term powerful lease, a very strong lease … I think we’ll be inclined to go along with your country. It’s a little bit early, we have to be given the details, but it doesn’t sound bad.”
Ramgoolam on Wednesday expressed “deep gratitude for India’s unflinching support to the long-standing struggle of Mauritius to exercise its full sovereignty over its entire territory.”
Away from Chagos, he said he and Modi have agreed to a Mauritius-India joint vision document to enhance strategic partnership.
“Our shared vision is to increase our cooperation in existing and emerging sectors such as space research, artificial intelligence, digital health, ocean economy, pharmaceuticals, ICT, fintech and cyber security,” Ramgoolam said, adding there are plans to increase cooperation in the maritime sector as well.
An analyst said that maintaining close ties with Mauritius is key for India.
“From an Indian Ocean perspective, from an Africa perspective, from neighborhood perspective, from maritime security perspective, this relationship is important for India to nurture,” said Harsh V. Pant, vice president of studies and foreign policy at the Observer Research Foundation think-tank in New Delhi.
Pointing to China’s growing presence in the region and the fact that it is has a trade agreement with Mauritius, Pant said, “That’s why I do think that India understands that the economic game with Mauritius has to be enhanced [too].”
He said also that maintaining the U.S.-U.K. military base in Diego Garcia is in India’s interest.
It is “certainly keen that it continues to work with its partners to create a favorable balance of power in the wider Indian Ocean,” he added.
The article appeared in the asia.nikkei