UK’s Chagos Exit Puts Key U.S. Military Base on Shaky Ground? China’s Shadow Looms Over Diego Garcia

The United Kingdom has officially transferred sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius but the UK retains control of the strategically vital US-UK military base on Diego Garcia through a 99-year lease, ensuring continued military presence in the Indian Ocean. The deal has raised concerns for the U.S. about a potential power vacuum and increased Chinese influence in the region, given Mauritius’s growing economic ties with Beijing.