Port Louis, Mar 11 (PTI) Negotiations between Mauritius and the United Kingdom over the long-disputed Chagos Archipelago are underway, with Mauritius' newly elected government pushing for a fresh look at a deal aimed at restoring the island nation's sovereignty over the territory.

Mauritius' Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful in an interview with PTI Videos said the government seeks a conclusive deal that will be in the best interests of all stakeholders, including India and the US.

“It’s in the interest of both countries, be it India, Mauritius and also the UK and the US, for us to reach a deal on Chagos once for all. Bring stability, bring visibility, bring certainty with regards to the base, which is being operational at Diego Garcia,” he said.

The deal in question is initially being negotiated just before Mauritius’ general elections in November 2024. However, with a new government now in power, Ramful noted that the administration is keen to reassess the terms.

“We have the struggle to restore our sovereignty over Chagos is long virtue,” Ramful said, reflecting on the historical context of the dispute. “It’s good that the UK has decided to come to the table and reach a deal with Mauritius.” “Unfortunately, the deal was being negotiated just before the elections. Now we have a new government since November and we said that we want to have a fresh look at the deal. And this is what is going on currently,” he explained.

Ramful underlined that the negotiations involves ensuring stability and security in the Indian Ocean region, particularly concerning the continued operation of the Diego Garcia military base.

The Chagos Archipelago, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, has been a point of contention since the UK retained control of it following Mauritius’ independence in 1968. The UK later leased the largest island, Diego Garcia, to the United States, which established a strategic military base there.

Last month, US President Donald Trump expressed his support for a deal between Mauritius and the UK regarding the future of a US-UK base in the Chagos Archipelago, a chain of seven atolls made up of over 60 islands in the Indian Ocean.

India plays crucial role in the Chagos deal between the UK and Mauritius, according to Ramful.

“India has always, during that struggle, been side by side with Mauritius, giving all the assistance possible for Mauritius to reach a deal and for us to recuperate our sovereignty over Chagos and we are very thankful to India,” he said.

The minister pointed to the deep ties between the two nations.

“We have to bear in mind that our interest—we both India and Mauritius—share common interest when it comes to security in the Indian Ocean,” he said.

The Chagos dispute dates back to the 1960s when the UK separated the archipelago from Mauritius to create the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold bilateral talks with his Mauritian counterpart Navin Ramgoolam on March 12 in Port Louis, it is expected that Chagos issue will come up during the discussions.

Ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had earlier on Saturday said the Chagos issue will be resolved between the concerned parties.

"I would imagine that during the visit there will be an opportunity perhaps for the Mauritius side to update us on any issues that might still be outstanding if there are any issues by that time. But for the rest, we continue to support Mauritius in its efforts to reach a mutually satisfactory and mutually beneficial deal with its interlocutors on this particular issue," he said.

Besides the Chagos issue, the Mauritius Foreign minister emphasized the shared priority of securing the Indian Ocean, a vital artery for global trade.

“The Indian Ocean is a very important trade route and, therefore, security is our most important for our economic survival,” he said.

Addressing concerns about foreign influence, Ramful clarified Mauritius’ stance on China.

“There is no Chinese naval base in and around Mauritius,” he asserted. “China is more concerned with economic and trade rather than military or other issues.” A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is set to be signed between the two nations on Wednesday, focusing on the sharing of information related to maritime security.

“We are thinking of initiatives with regards to joint surveillance, exercises between the two countries in the region,” he revealed.

Ramful stressed the need for political commitment from both sides to translate these plans into action.

“There must be the political commitment from both partners, from both countries, to come to a mutual understanding and to work on projects so that we can increase security in the region," he said. PTI RK AS AS