Mauritius is getting sovereignty over the remote Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, but Britain will continue to administer the strategically crucial island of Diego Garcia for another century, preserving the Anglo-American joint base on

The U.K. says it has reached a "historic" deal to cede the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean to the Republic of Mauritius, thus surrendering the final colony of Britain's once-sprawling African empire.

While the UK and US retain a key strategic military base in the Indian Ocean, the two governments remain apprehensive over the security of the island.

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.