Britain’s plan to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius has been halted by a late-night legal injunction, just hours before the expected signing of a formal agreement.
The British government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, had been preparing to conclude a deal with Mauritius that would see the return of the disputed islands, while the UK retains joint control of the Diego Garcia military base alongside the United States. The agreement was scheduled for completion on Thursday.
However, in a surprise turn of events, a High Court judge issued an injunction in the early hours of Thursday morning. The move came after Bertrice Pompe, a Chagossian woman based in the UK, filed a legal challenge citing concerns over the human rights of the displaced Chagossian community. A full court hearing is scheduled to take place later the same day.
The proposed handover has sparked deep political and security concerns. Britain is reportedly prepared to commit billions of pounds to complete the transfer. However, critics fear the move could open the door to Chinese influence in the strategically located region, given Mauritius’s growing reliance on imports from China.
Some UK officials, including former defense minister Grant Shapps, have expressed strong opposition to the deal. He warned earlier this year that transferring the territory could pose national security risks, particularly because of the military activity centered on Diego Garcia. Shapps said the proximity of any Chinese involvement to sensitive military operations would be a serious concern for both Britain and the US.
Britain has ruled the Chagos archipelago since 1814. In 1965, the islands were separated from Mauritius just before it gained independence. London retained control and later established the British Indian Ocean Territory. Around 2,000 Chagossians were forcibly removed from their homes in the 1960s and 70s to make way for the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia.
The situation has long been a source of international legal and human rights controversy. The United Nations and the International Court of Justice have both previously ruled that the UK should return the islands to Mauritius. But Thursday’s injunction now places the government’s planned agreement on hold, pending a legal review of its implications for Chagossian communities.
The outcome of the upcoming court hearing may determine whether Britain can proceed with one of its most sensitive territorial decisions in decades.