Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth expressed his gratitude to the Indian government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the African Union after the United Kingdom agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Jugnauth wrote, "Mauritius expresses its thanks to the African Union @AfricanUnion, the Government of India @narendramodi, and all friendly nations that supported us in our fight to complete our decolonisation."

The recent agreement between the UK and Mauritius settles a long-standing territorial dispute, with the UK handing over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. However, the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia will remain operational for at least the next 99 years, ensuring its continued strategic importance.

This deal, which has been under negotiation since 2022, marks the end of a decades-long dispute over the islands while securing the future of the military base.

India welcomed the agreement, reiterating its consistent support for Mauritius' sovereignty claim over the islands. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs noted, “The resolution of the longstanding Chagos dispute, after two years of negotiations and in accordance with international law, is a positive development.”

India's support for Mauritius in this legal battle has been steadfast, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reaffirming New Delhi’s backing during his visit to Port Louis earlier this year.