Britain's Chagos Islands Deal: Legal Hurdles and Historical Contentions

A UK High Court injunction halted Britain's signing of a multi-billion dollar deal with Mauritius over the Chagos Islands. The agreement involves transferring sovereignty to Mauritius while retaining a 99-year lease on the Diego Garcia military base. The deal is controversial due to displaced Chagossians and geopolitical tensions.

A last-minute UK High Court injunction blocked Britain from concluding a multi-billion dollar agreement with Mauritius concerning the Chagos Islands. The deal, vital for securing the U.S.-UK Diego Garcia air base's future, faces delays amid historical and geopolitical tensions.

Originally inhabited by up to 2,000 Chagossians, the islands saw forcible displacement in the 1960s to establish a military base, leaving the community's concerns overlooked in the current agreement. Despite Britain's commitment to pay Mauritius £3 billion for sovereignty transfer, Chagossians and some British lawmakers oppose the terms.

The strategic importance of Diego Garcia as a military foothold in the Indian Ocean escalates the stakes, with China's regional influence growing. The agreement's legality remains under scrutiny following a 2019 UN court opinion deeming Britain's past actions unlawful.

(With inputs from agencies.)