President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has formally raised the Maldives’ sovereignty claim over the Chagos Islands, known historically in the Maldives as Foalhavahi, warning that the United Kingdom’s plan to transfer the territory to Mauritius risks handing the islands to the wrong claimant.
In an interview with Express.co.uk, President Muizzu confirmed that the Maldivian Government has contacted the British Government through official correspondence regarding the future of the Chagos Archipelago, arguing that the Maldives is geographically closer, historically connected, and legally better placed than Mauritius to assert sovereignty.
The intervention comes as Britain moves forward with an agreement to recognise Mauritian sovereignty over Chagos, while maintaining operational control of the strategically vital Diego Garcia military base under a 99-year lease arrangement. Under the deal reported internationally, the UK would pay Mauritius around £101 million annually to retain access to Diego Garcia, a base widely viewed as central to UK-US defence operations across the Indo-Pacific.
“Britain is fully aware of our concerns”
President Muizzu told Express.co.uk that the UK has been officially informed of the Maldives’ position.
“Through an exchange of official correspondence the British Government is fully aware of our concerns and our claim,” President Muizzu said, stressing that the Maldives believes it holds “the strongest claim over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands.”
While the President declined to disclose details of the correspondence, he reiterated confidence in the Maldivian claim, stating it is grounded in documented historical evidence linking Maldivian heritage to the islands south of Maldivian waters.
Maldives highlights proximity and historical ties
The President’s argument is reinforced by geography: Malé is about 310 miles from Chagos, while Mauritius lies roughly 1,300 miles away, according to the figures cited in the Express report.
President Muizzu also pointed to cultural and archaeological evidence described as supporting Maldivian historical links to the territory, including Dhivehi-inscribed gravestones and long-standing oral traditions of Maldivian seafarers and fishermen reaching the islands centuries ago. The article further references historical claims linked to a 16th century royal patent and broader archaeological findings indicating centuries-old Maldivian presence.
The report also notes that the displaced Chagossian population, forcibly removed during the 1970s to make way for the military base, is said to reflect mixed heritage including Maldivian and Creole roots.
A strategic base, and a rising regional contest
At the centre of the dispute is Diego Garcia, the heavily protected atoll hosting the UK-US base widely regarded as a critical logistics and military hub. Under the UK-Mauritius arrangement, Mauritius would receive payments for a lease covering a base that has long been central to Western power projection and surveillance in the Indian Ocean.
President Muizzu framed the issue as extending beyond military strategy, calling it a question of historical justice and fairness, and urging Britain to give due weight to a longstanding partner in the Indian Ocean.
Relations with UK remain strong
Despite openly challenging the Chagos arrangement, President Muizzu emphasised that Maldivian ties with Britain remain close, highlighting people-to-people links and the Maldives’ popularity among British travellers.
“The Maldives has been Britain’s favourite dream holiday from the very beginning,” he said, crediting British tourists and early British expertise for helping shape the country’s tourism development and hospitality standards.
British visitors continue to rank among the top tourist arrival markets to the Maldives each year, with Muizzu describing the country as offering “the most crystal-clear waters and most perfect beaches with the whitest sands on earth.”
The President’s remarks now position the Maldives as a direct challenger in a high-profile sovereignty dispute, at a time when the Indian Ocean’s strategic importance is growing, and global powers are paying increasing attention to maritime influence, defence access, and regional legitimacy.
