Washington said the deal protected the long-term, secure and effective operation of the strategic military base.

India played an important role in forging a historic deal between Mauritius and the United Kingdom over the strategically significant UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, a move that finally de-colonised the tiny island nation.

For years, Mauritius demanded the UK end its control on the Chagos Archipelago. Why was their ownership a matter of contention, and what are the interests of countries like the US and India here? We explain.

The United Kingdom agrees to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos archipelago to Mauritius. India and the United States support this. The US military base at Diego Garcia remains for 99 years. India played an important background role and supported Mauritius's claim.

India played a “quiet but important role in the background” during the negotiations, firmly backing the Mauritian position

Britain said it would give up sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, but under what President Joe Biden called a "historic agreement," will keep a strategic Indian Ocean military base with the United States.