The Chagos dispute esclates amid continued tensions between the island states.
By Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson
New York, 27 February 2026 – The Government of the Republic of Mauritius has suspended all diplomatic relations with the Republic of Maldives with immediate effect, citing a dispute over sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago.
In an official communiqué issued Friday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mauritius confirmed that the Maldivian government had been formally notified of the decision.
The move follows what Mauritius described as a recent position taken by the Maldives in which it no longer recognizes Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. According to the statement, the Maldives has also objected to an agreement between Mauritius and the United Kingdom concerning the disputed territory.
“Today’s decision reflects the commitment of Mauritius to safeguard its national interest and uphold the principles of sovereignty and respect of the United Nations Charter, International Law, peace and stability in the region,” the communiqué stated.
The Chagos Archipelago, a group of islands in the central Indian Ocean, has been at the center of a decades-long sovereignty dispute. The United Kingdom separated the islands from Mauritius prior to Mauritian independence in 1968 to create the British Indian Ocean Territory. The largest island, Diego Garcia, hosts a strategic military base.
In recent years, Mauritius has secured significant diplomatic and legal backing for its claim. In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion stating that the UK’s continued administration of the archipelago was unlawful and that the territory should be returned to Mauritius. The United Nations General Assembly subsequently called on the UK to withdraw.
Mauritius and the United Kingdom have since engaged in negotiations over the future of the territory, though details of any recent agreement referenced in the communiqué were not immediately provided.
The Maldives has not yet publicly responded to the announcement.
The suspension of diplomatic relations marks a rare escalation between two Indian Ocean island states that are both members of regional and multilateral forums, including the United Nations and the Alliance of Small Island States.
It remains unclear how the decision will affect regional cooperation on trade, maritime security and climate diplomacy in the Indian Ocean
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