The Maldivian government states it is preparing a formal submission to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding its opposition to the agreement made by the United Kingdom to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

In May 2025, the UK formally consented to transfer control of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, concluding more than 200 years of British governance, in return for permitting the United States and UK to maintain operations at the strategically key Diego Garcia military base for the following 99 years.

On February 5, Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu informed the Parliament that the government officially raised objections to the UK on November 8, 2024, and January 18, 2026, opposing the transfer of Chagos to Mauritius.

In interviews with international media, President Muizzu contended that the Maldives has historical assertions to the archipelago that extend back centuries. He mentioned that if the Maldives acquires Chagos, it is prepared to negotiate with the US to maintain operations at the Diego Garcia base.

His office issued a statement to the BBC indicating that the Maldives conveyed its dissent to the agreement through two written objections and a phone conversation with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy.

"The government's strong stance is expressed in these diplomatic messages: the British government's choice to engage solely with Mauritius, neglecting Maldivian interests, is highly troubling," the statement says.

As a result, the Maldives has officially stated that it does not acknowledge the transfer of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius.

The Maldives asserts that its stance is rooted in the deep historical and administrative connections between the Maldives and the archipelago, along with the considerable consequences any such transfer may have for Maldivian sovereignty.

"The Maldives government asserts that, due to its historical and geographical closeness, it possesses a superior claim to sovereign rights over the Chagos Archipelago than any other nation," the statement declared.

"Therefore, if any nation is to hold sovereignty, it should justly be the Maldives."

The Maldivian government cautioned that it would "explore all possible options for a formal filing" to the ICJ and would keep "evaluating all legal methods to protect the national interest."

It also expressed hope that the UK will participate in constructive discussions "to address this issue with mutual respect and historical truthfulness."

Nevertheless, the British Foreign Office indicated in February that it considers sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago as an issue solely between the UK and Mauritius.

In 2019, the ICJ determined that Britain's 1965 detachment of the Chagos Islands from Mauritius was illegal and declared the UK should terminate its governance as swiftly as feasible.

Although non-binding, the advisory opinion holds legal significance and led the UN General Assembly to call for the archipelago's restoration to Mauritius in a nearly unanimous vote in 2019.

The Maldives entered the dispute as its exclusive economic zone coincides with that of Chagos.

In April 2023, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) approved the advisory opinion provided by the ICJ and determined that the 95,563 square kilometer region between Mauritius and Maldives would be split between the two employing the equidistance method.

The decision awarded the Maldives 47,232 square kilometers, whereas Mauritius received 45,331 square kilometers.

President Muizzu was elected with the commitment to restore the maritime area the Maldives lost due to the ruling.