Britain's Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has expressed support for the United States' decision to review a proposed agreement between the UK and Mauritius regarding the future of a

U.S.-British military base in the Indian Ocean. Speaking on BBC Radio on Monday, Lammy said, “It’s right and proper that the new administration is able to consider it.”

The agreement in question involves Britain ceding sovereignty of the Chagos Islands—controlled by the UK since 1814 and formerly a colony that gained independence in 1968—to Mauritius. Despite the transfer of sovereignty, the UK would maintain control of the strategically important Diego Garcia military base under a 99-year lease.

The base, jointly operated by the U.S. and the UK, is a key hub for U.S. long-range bombers and warships. Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden had previously indicated that the lease would ensure the base's effective operation well into the next century.

However, the deal has raised concerns in Washington. Marco Rubio, nominated as Secretary of State under the Trump administration, argued that the agreement could jeopardize U.S. security. He warned that ceding the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius—a nation with ties to China—might pose strategic risks to U.S. interests in the region. Photo by Anne Sheppard, Wikimedia commons.