Reportedly, India has secured an agreement with the government of Mauritius allowing it to establish a satellite station in the Chagos Archipelago, near the controversial Diego Garcia base. According to reports, the purpose of the new station will be to track satellites and “serve as a strategic asset for monitoring the region,” a formula normally used to describe SIGINT collection sites.
APARENTLY, India has signed an agreement with the Mauritian government to secure its defence presence on the Chagos Islands. The report does not specify the precise location of the new facility, which has probably not yet been determined, but suggests it will be “near the Diego Garcia US-UK strategic base.” It is not clear how the site will be serviced.
India’s ambition is likely to be to create a facility similar to the one it has already established on Agaléga—an island belonging to Mauritius—which, despite denials, India has effectively annexed for practical purposes.
PM Narendra Modi welcomed Mauritius Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam and his delegation to Varanasi during latter’s India visit in September 2025
Mauritius is heavily dependent on India’s support and goodwill, under which it operates as an offshore financial centre for India. When the agreement was signed, India’s Prime Minister Modi stated that he had always supported the decolonisation of the Chagos Islands, and that while “India and Mauritius are two nations, our dreams and destiny are one.”
As part of the India–Mauritius agreement, which was concluded during an eight-day visit by Mauritian Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam to New Delhi in September 2025, a plan was approved to allow Indian naval vessels to conduct hydrographic surveys of the archipelago.
Much of this area had been closed off after being designated as a “Marine Protected Area” by the British Indian Ocean Territory administration. Such surveys would be necessary if India’s Arihant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines are to operate in Chagos waters.
The deal also calls for the refitting of a Mauritius Coast Guard ship to prepare it for patrol duties in the Chagos, and provides $680 million in aid, some of which is allocated to the “development of the Chagos Marine Protected Area.”
Importance of Mauritius Getting the Chagos Islands
Mauritius achieved a strategic victory on May 22, 2025, when the United Kingdom (UK) officially handed over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands after finalising the political treaty agreed to in October of the previous year.
Under the deal, the important naval and bomber base on Diego Garcia—one of the archipelago’s largest islands, operated by US forces—will be leased by the UK from Mauritius, which will retain sovereignty over the region, according to The Independent.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Terming the deal vital to British security, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it was the only way to maintain the naval base’s long-term future.
He added that if the UK had not agreed to the deal, the legal challenges mounted by Mauritius could have opened avenues for China or other nations to establish bases on the outer islands or conduct joint exercises near the base.
Mauritius has agreed to lease Diego Garcia to the UK for £101 million a year for 99 years.
India welcomed the signing of the treaty between the United Kingdom and Mauritius, marking the return of Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia.
The Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that the formal resolution of the longstanding Chagos dispute through this bilateral treaty is a milestone achievement and a positive development for the region.
This follows the understanding reached between the two sides in October last year and marks the culmination of the process of decolonisation of Mauritius, in the spirit of international law and a rules-based order.
India has consistently supported Mauritius’s legitimate claim over the Chagos Archipelago, in keeping with its principled position on decolonisation, respect for sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
The Ministry further stated that as a steadfast and longstanding partner of Mauritius, India remains committed to working closely with Mauritius and other like-minded countries to strengthen maritime security, promote regional stability, and ensure peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region.
Diego Garcia
Whenever the name Diego Garcia is mentioned, it often evokes the image of a remote island somewhere in the Caribbean or near Greece. In reality, however, it lies much closer to India, in the Indian Ocean.
For years, Diego Garcia has served as an important base for US and UK air and naval forces.
According to a BBC report, the base is one of an “extremely limited number of places worldwide available to reload submarines” with weapons such as Tomahawk missiles. The US has also positioned a large quantity of equipment and stores there for contingencies.
NASA astronaut image of Diego Garcia Atoll
Walter Ladwig III, a senior lecturer in international relations at King’s College London, agrees that the base fulfils “a lot of important roles” but adds that “there is this level of secrecy that seems to go beyond what we see at other places.”
Rumours have long swirled about the uses of Diego Garcia, including that it was used as a CIA black site—a facility for housing and interrogating terror suspects.
The UK government confirmed in 2008 that rendition flights carrying terror suspects had landed on the island in 2002, following years of assurances that they had not, according to the BBC.
Furthermore, tankers operating from Diego Garcia refuelled US B-2 bombers that flew from the United States to carry out the first airstrikes on Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks. During the subsequent “war on terror,” aircraft were also dispatched directly from the island to Afghanistan and Iraq.
What Is the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)?
The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) is a unique feature of the British decolonisation process, under which the UK granted independence to some former colonies, but retained certain territories deemed strategically important. Diego Garcia and the Chagos Islands are prime examples.
Flag of the Commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory
Many critics also describe the British Overseas Territories (BOTs) as part of a British scheme through which illicit funds have been channelled back to the UK.
The Chagos Islands are important for India because of their strategic location in the Indian Ocean and India’s support for Mauritius, its key partner in the region. India’s position focuses on strengthening regional maritime security and stability, especially in the context of countering China’s growing influence.
Strategic Importance for India
India views the deal as a means to strengthen its ties with Mauritius, a key regional partner. India remains committed to working with Mauritius to enhance maritime security and promote regional prosperity.
Indian Ocean Region
The security of the Indian Ocean is a top priority for India, and the Chagos Islands’ location is crucial for monitoring shipping lanes and projecting power.
The territory lies at the heart of the Indian Ocean, and its control by a major power like the United States is an important factor in India’s broader strategy to counter China’s expanding influence in the region.
On the other hand, the agreement also sets a precedent for other similar situations and reflects the UK’s evolving position as a global power—adapting to the current geopolitical landscape while still trying to maintain control over select territories, where it can act according to its own strategic convenience. 
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Asad Mirza
The author is a New Delhi-based senior commentator on national and international affairs, defence and strategic issues, and environmental concerns. He is also an interfaith practitioner and a media consultant. Previously, he was associated with the BBC Urdu Service and the Khaleej Times in Dubai.
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