Closer ties between Mauritius and Russia have sparked new security fears over the UK’s decision to give up sovereignty of the Chagos Islands. Mauritian and Russian officials met on Friday to discuss ways of strengthening their relationship in “marine research” and fishing. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been heavily criticised for the potential security threat linked to giving up the archipelago despite approval from US President Donald Trump.
The UK Government has argued that it has to give up the territory because of international legal rulings in favour of Mauritius, which has long claimed ownership of the archipelago. However, controversy around the move is linked to the presence of the strategic US-UK military base on the largest island in the group, Diego Garcia. While critics have suggested relinquishing sovereignty could open the door to Iran and China spying on the Western military, the growing closeness between Mauritius and Russia could be yet another cause for concern surrounding the handover.
The deal is expected to involve the lease of the military base to Britain for 100 years at a reported cost of £9 billion to maintain a UK and US military presence.
Security experts previously sounded the alarm around Mauritius’s links to Iran after plans emerged for joint research initiatives with the Islamic country, and similar suggestions were made around China’s access to the territory when the country become the biggest importer into Mauritius following a free trade deal in 2021.
Russia‘s agricultural minister Oksana Nikolaevna Lut met her Mauritian counterpart Arvin Boolell in Port Louis, the country’s capital, on Friday. According to the Mauritius Government, they discussed a “commitment to advancing cooperation in agriculture, research, irrigation, and fisheries” and “building on a long-standing partnership with a shared focus on sustainable development.”
The UK Government has insisted that the Chagos deal will include security guarantees to prevent spying or interference from hostile states, but reports suggested the announcement of the finalised plans had been delayed over fears of a negative reception.
Both the Conservative Party and Reform UK have attacked the prospect of handing the archipelago back, with shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel claiming that it was “inconceivable” for Mr Starmer to relinquish power over a military base to “a country which cosies up to a deal with Russia“.
“We simply cannot afford to gamble in any way with our national security and defence, and Mauritius’s collaboration with Russia, a country responsible for a war on European soil, sums up how catastrophic this knee-bending Labour Government is,” she told The Telegraph.
Downing Street said it will provide “legal certainty” to ensure the continued operation of the base on Diego Garcia.