With reference to the Chagos Islands sovereignty deal, consider the following statements: 1. The proposed annual lease fee for the Diego Garcia base is £10 million. 2. The UK is seeking to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius without any lease-back agreement. 3. The UK is reviewing the deal following a call for its termination by President Trump. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

'No change in President Trump's position': UK to review Chagos Islands deal with Mauritius

GS2Polity · Governance · IR· India's bilateral relations· Mains· 23 September 2026

Geopolitical shifts and maritime security: a GS2 case study on sovereignty and strategic military bases.

Why in news

UK Defence Secretary Wes Streeting announced a review of the Chagos Islands sovereignty deal with Mauritius following President Donald Trump's call for its termination.

Background

The original May 2025 deal aimed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius with a lease-back agreement for the Diego Garcia base at £101 million annually. The UK is now seeking joint certainty with US allies for a long-term military presence on the base.

Facts for Prelims

Fact£101 million: Annual lease fee proposed for the Diego Garcia base
PostWes Streeting: UK Defence Secretary
FactJanuary: Month in which President Trump reversed his approval of the Chagos Islands deal

Prelims practice question

With reference to the Chagos Islands sovereignty deal, consider the following statements:

The proposed annual lease fee for the Diego Garcia base is £10 million.
The UK is seeking to transfer sovereignty to Mauritius without any lease-back agreement.
The UK is reviewing the deal following a call for its termination by President Trump.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)1 only
(b)3 only
(c)1 and 2 only
(d)1 and 3 only

Show answer

Answer: (b) 3 only — Statement 3 is correct. Statement 1 is incorrect: The proposed annual lease fee is £101 million. Statement 2 is incorrect: The deal includes a lease-back agreement for the Diego Garcia base.

For Mains

Q. Examine how shifting geopolitical alliances and the strategic importance of maritime bases influence the sovereignty and territorial integrity of island territories.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Strategic friction: US opposition to UK-Mauritius sovereignty transfer impacting long-term military presence
Geopolitical realignment: Balancing bilateral sovereignty deals with multilateral security requirements of US allies

Keywords: Sovereignty · Geopolitical alignment · Maritime security · Territorial integrity · Strategic lease

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