The Chagos Islands were originally part of Mauritius until the British Empire split the islands away to allow the US to continue using the military base on the islands.
Since then, the decision to split the islands and deport the local people has been a problem for Britain both at home and in global diplomacy.
On the home front, court cases over the forced deportation of people within the Last Empire have cost a lot of time and resources.
In global diplomacy the splitting of the islands so close to independence was seen as a land grab and has caused friction with many states.
Especially as Mauritius continues to claim them and has been successful in international courts.
The reason for keeping the islands part of Britain was so that the US could continue to use and expand a joint military base known as Diego Garcia.
The islands and the base are in the middle of the Indian Ocean far away from any coast. It is a strategic nail on the world map that puts over 50 countries within reach of American Bombers.
While also being close to the major shipping lanes connecting Asia with Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Considering the British military are a tiny user of the base, which has largely been built and maintained by the US military, it may seem odd that Britain and not the US are responsible for them.
This odd relationship is made even more confusing when the current agreement for returning the islands to Mauritius seems to require the approval of the US President, with Britain paying the rent.
Why does the US want British involvement?
If the US built the base, use the base, and want to keep the base. Why does Britain need to be involved? Why couldn’t Britain return the islands and the US come to an agreement with Mauritius?
The problem is Nuclear Weapons. Before the era of stealth bombers flying across the globe, the limited range of planes meant the US needed a strategic location to store weapons for their bombers.
With so many nations within reach of the base and its distant location making it easier to defend. The base was a core part of American power projection across the world.
Britain’s ruling class have been okay with the US storing bombs on British territory, but Mauritius might feel differently.
They are part of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone which bans all nuclear weapons from the continent and its countries.
Were the Chagos to become Mauritian, it would limit the ability for the US to store nuclear weapons on the islands, or at the very least make it a legal problem for Britain and not America.
This is the reason the US is so heavily involved in talks about returning the islands.
Why does Britain want to continue paying for the Islands?
Read more: Why are the Chagos Islands an Issue?The strategic location of the base at a time of changing global power is invaluable. Not only does it provide space for air forces, but it also has nuclear submarine and naval facilities.
Continuing to lease the base after transferring ownership would grant both nations and their partners a globally important asset for another century.
To understand why that matters, over the past 100 years we have seen; the decline of the British, French and Ottoman Empires, the rise and decline of Soviet Russia, and the rise of both the US and China.
Plus we’re also seeing the early stages of rises in India and Brazil. All at a time of growing resource limitations.
If or when another conflict breaks out, the base at Diego Garcia would be a vital part of keeping shipping lanes open, and place pressure on almost any adversary.