Port Louis, Mauritius – February 28, 2026 – Mauritius has formally suspended diplomatic relations with the Maldives, citing the Maldivian government's refusal to recognize Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago and its objections to the recent UK-Mauritius agreement on the territory.
The decision was announced in a statement released by Mauritius' Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade following a special Cabinet meeting held late Friday. The ministry described the Maldives' position as a direct challenge to Mauritius' territorial integrity and accused Malé of undermining international law and regional stability.
The statement read: “The Maldives' stand that it no longer recognizes the sovereignty of the Republic of Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago, its territorial integrity and is now objecting to the Agreement between Mauritius and the United Kingdom reflects a clear disregard for established legal principles and the United Nations Charter.”
Mauritius emphasized that the suspension “reflects the commitment of Mauritius to safeguard its national interest and uphold the principles of sovereignty and respect to the United Nations Charter, international law, peace and stability in the region.” All bilateral diplomatic engagements have been paused with immediate effect, and Mauritian authorities have recalled their chargé d'affaires from Malé while declaring the Maldivian representative persona non grata.
The move follows the Maldives' public opposition to the October 2025 treaty between Mauritius and the United Kingdom, under which London agreed to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands (officially the British Indian Ocean Territory) to Mauritius while retaining a 99-year lease on Diego Garcia—the largest island—for the joint UK-US military base. The agreement, hailed by both governments as a historic resolution to a decades-long dispute, was endorsed by the International Court of Justice advisory opinion in 2019 and subsequent UN General Assembly resolutions calling for the UK's withdrawal.
Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has repeatedly asserted that the Maldives holds a stronger historical and legal claim to parts of the Chagos Archipelago than Mauritius. In recent statements, Muizzu argued that the islands fall within the Maldives' exclusive economic zone and continental shelf under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Malé has formally requested direct consultations with the United Kingdom and sought to intervene in any future proceedings related to the territory's status.
The Maldives' objections gained renewed attention after US President Donald Trump publicly urged London to scrap the deal in a Truth Social post earlier this month, describing the agreement as “a giveaway of strategic assets” and warning it could compromise US military operations at Diego Garcia. The US has maintained a significant military presence on the island since the 1960s, using it as a key logistics and surveillance hub in the Indian Ocean.
Mauritius has consistently maintained that the Chagos Islands were illegally detached from its territory by the UK in 1965—prior to independence in 1968—and that the forced removal of the Chagossian population constituted a violation of international law. The 2025 agreement includes provisions for the resettlement of Chagossians and joint management of certain aspects of the territory, while preserving the military base's operational integrity.
The suspension of diplomatic ties represents a rare and sharp escalation between two Indian Ocean island nations that have historically maintained cordial relations. Both countries are members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the Commonwealth, and have cooperated on maritime security, fisheries, and tourism promotion.
Analysts view the Mauritian move as a firm signal to other states considering similar challenges to the UK-Mauritius agreement. The Maldives' position has been supported by some regional actors wary of expanding Mauritian maritime jurisdiction, while others see it as opportunistic amid the Trump administration's vocal opposition to the deal.
The UK Foreign Office reiterated its commitment to the 2025 agreement, describing it as “a fair, balanced and legally sound resolution” that safeguards both sovereignty rights and strategic interests. The US Department of State has not issued a new statement since President Trump's earlier remarks but continues to emphasize the importance of the Diego Garcia base for Indo-Pacific security.
As the Chagos dispute re-enters a contentious phase, Mauritius has called on the international community to respect the ICJ opinion and UN resolutions. The suspension of ties with the Maldives underscores the high stakes involved in what has long been a symbolic and legal struggle over sovereignty, now intertwined with great-power strategic interests in the Indian Ocean.
