The Republic of Mauritius suspended all diplomatic relations with the Maldives on Friday, marking a sharp escalation in a long-standing territorial dispute over the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
The decision, effective immediately, was announced in a communiqué from the Mauritian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade. Officials said the move was a direct response to recent statements by Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, which Mauritius characterized as a rejection of its sovereignty over the strategic island chain.
“The decision reflects the commitment of Mauritius to safeguard its national interest and uphold the principles of sovereignty and respect of the UN Charter,” the ministry said.
The diplomatic break comes weeks after Muizzu’s state-of-the-nation address on Feb. 5, in which he asserted that the Maldives holds a “stronger claim” to the Chagos Islands than any other nation. Muizzu formally rescinded a 2022 letter from the previous Maldivian administration that had recognized Mauritian sovereignty, calling the reversal necessary to protect Maldivian maritime interests.
Muizzu also disclosed that his government formally objected to the United Kingdom’s plan to transfer the archipelago to Mauritius, submitting written protests on Nov. 8, 2024, and Jan. 18, 2026.
The Chagos Archipelago has been a flashpoint for decades. While the International Court of Justice ruled in 2019 that the UK’s administration of the islands was unlawful, the British government only agreed to a transfer of sovereignty in May 2025. That deal, which is currently facing delays in the British Parliament following criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, includes a 99-year lease back to the UK for the joint U.S.-UK military base on Diego Garcia.
The Maldives, located roughly 310 miles north of the archipelago, has increasingly asserted its own historical and geographical ties to the islands. The Muizzu administration has recently deployed coast guard vessels and surveillance drones to patrol southern waters, claiming an exclusive economic zone that overlaps with territory a UN tribunal allocated to Mauritius in 2023.
British officials have maintained that sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago is strictly a matter between the United Kingdom and Mauritius. (Newswire)
