Straddling the central plank of ‘strategic autonomy’, India has braved the diplomatic rough seas of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with aplomb.
Another feather in the cap of Indian diplomacy became obvious on Thursday when the United Kingdom handed back Mauritian sovereignty to the island nation over the Chagos archipelago, including that of Diego Garcia, completing the resolution of the longstanding Chagos dispute after two years of negotiations.
Diego Garcia houses a joint base of the UK and US militaries and is strategically located to play a vital role in national, regional, and global security.
Saying that the UK-Mauritius agreement will reinforce long-term security in the Indian Ocean region, an Indian foreign ministry source said: “India played a quiet but important role in the background. It firmly backed the principled Mauritian position, supporting its stance on the need to do away with the last vestiges of decolonisation… It is believed that the final outcome is a win for all sides involved…”
Thursday’s agreement completes the decolonisation of Mauritius. In alignment of its stated policy on decolonization and support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, India had consistently supported Mauritius’s claim for sovereignty over Chagos.
India enjoys a longstanding and close partnership with Mauritius and has welcomed the agreement as a welcome development that is mutually beneficial to all.
US President Joe Biden said in a statement: “It is a clear demonstration that through diplomacy and partnership, countries can overcome long-standing historical challenges to reach peaceful and mutually beneficial outcomes. This agreement affirms Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, while granting the United Kingdom the authority to exercise the sovereign rights of Mauritius with respect to Diego Garcia… The agreement secures the effective operation of the joint facility on Diego Garcia into the next century.”
The agreement allows the UK to exercise the sovereign rights and authorities of Mauritius with respect to Diego Garcia in accordance with the terms of the agreement.