The Mohamed Muizzu administration has formally told the United Kingdom that it does not recognize the proposed transfer of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, escalating a growing diplomatic dispute in the Indian Ocean region.

In a statement, the Maldivian government said it had lodged formal objections through letters and direct communication with David Lammy, describing the deal as deeply concerning and warning that Maldivian interests had been overlooked.

According to BBC News, Malé argues that it has longstanding historical and geographical ties to the archipelago and therefore holds a stronger claim to sovereignty than Mauritius. Officials signaled that the country is now considering legal options, including potential action at the International Court of Justice.

The UK has maintained that sovereignty over the islands is a bilateral issue between London and Mauritius. However, the dispute remains complicated by earlier international rulings. A 2019 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice found Britain’s separation of the islands unlawful, a position later reinforced by a 2023 decision from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea supporting Mauritius’s claims.

London had agreed in principle to transfer control of the territory while leasing back a joint UK–US military base, but the arrangement remains stalled amid political pressure, including opposition from Donald Trump.

The Maldives insists that any settlement must account for its own sovereignty concerns, warning that failure to do so could trigger a broader legal battle over the future of the strategically located islands.