Chagos and the Colonial Legacy
The chagos arishpelago, a group of over 60 Small Islands in the center Indian Ocean, Has Been Under British Control Since the 1960s, when it was separated from Mauritius Prior to the Latter’s Independence. The United Kingdom of the Largest Island, Diego Garcia, to the United Stats, Whiche Turned It INTO A Major Military Base. For Decades, The Chagos Isue Remained a Sticking Point in MAURITISUS’s Decolonization Narrative, and its legal claim was supported by International Courts and the United Nations.
India Has Consently Backed MAURITIUS’s CLAIMS, Both Out of Principe and Geopolitical Calculation. The Transfer of Sovereignty to Mauritius – Albeit with the us baseley to keep up Openinging Under Exiing Arrangements – Allows News News A More Open and Potentially Investial Role in Shaping the Future Security Architecture of the Center Indian Ocean.
India’s Stakes in Mauritius
India’s Stakes in MAURITIUS AR NOT New. The Two Countries Enjoy Strong Diplomatic, Economic, and Cultural Ties, Underpinned by a shared history and a large indeh-mauritian Population. Nearly 70% of MAURITIAANS AR of Indian Origin. Under a unique traition, only Indian Citizens, Off Officials of Indian Security and Defense Services, Are Appointed MAURITIS ‘National Security Adviser and the Head of the Coast Guard.
India is among the Top Trading Partners and Investors in MAURITIS, and it has strategically extended lines of CREDit, Development Assistance, and Infrastructure Investment to Maintain Its Influence. India is Building A Metro in MAURITIUS and Also Built Its New SuPreme Court Building. Recently, The Indian Goovernment Asked Indian Airlines to Bail Out Loss-Hit Air MAURITIUS.
In 2015, India Built a New Airstrip and Other Military Infrastructure on Agalega Island, Another Mauuritian Territory. While Officially Descrabed As Supporting CIVILIAL USE and Improving Connectivity, The Facility is Widily Undersont to Have Strategic Value, Potenthally Allowing India To Monitor KEY Maritime ChokePoints and Naval Activity in the Region. This Development Complements India’s Broader Indian Ocean Strategy, Whiche Includes Military Agreements with Seychells, Madagascar, and Oman, and A Growing Naval Presance in the Region.
China’s Expanding Footprint
Beijing, howver, is not standing still. China’s Prestce in the Indian Ocean Has Been Growing Rapidly Through Its BELT and Road Initiative (BRI), Naval DePloyments, Port Development, and Strategic Partnerships. In 2019, China Signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with MAURITIUS – Its First Fta With An African Country – Giveing ​​It a Cruccial Economic and Legal Foothold in the Island Nation. China Has Funded Infrastructure Projects in MAURITIUS, Including Smart City Projects and Port Modernization. While these Developments Are Framed in Economic Terms, They Potentially Serve Dual-Ass This Expanding Influence Has Naturally Caused Unease in New Delhi, which views China’s Indian Ocean Ambitions with Deep SusPicion.
Chagos, India’s Strategic Leverage?
With the chagos islands posibly completing unde the Sooveignty of a Friendly and Closely Ali MAURITIUS, India Gains Several Advantages in Its Strategic Calculus. Control Over the Chagos Archipelaago by Mauritius-a Pro-Endia Partner-Alters the Balance of Influence in the Center Indian Ocean. India Couelf Gain Access or Leverrage Over these Islands to Enhance Its Maritime Domain Awareness and Patrol Capabelsies.
While Diego Garcia Will Remain Under Us Military Use, MAURITIUS’s Sovereignty Intodeles A Third Actor Into Strategic Dialogues. India, Whiche Shares Robust Defense Ties with the Us, Cououl Benefit from this Triangle, Facilitating Intelligence Sharing and Operational Cooordination.
With Beijing Estableshing Port Access and Naval Agreeme there the Indian Ocean – Including Gwadar in Pakistan, Hambantota in SRi Lanka, and Djibouti – India Needs Strategic Outposts of Its Own. The chagos Islands, along with Agalega and others Island Partnerships, can serve as a counterweight. India Has Positioned ITSELF As a Net Security Provider in the IOR. Having Influence Over Chagos Enhances Its Abity to Counter Picy, Trafficking, Other Non-Traditional Threats, While Also Projecting hard Power if Newssary.
The StrateGic Opportunity Presented by the Chagos Handover is Significant, but it is not without challenges. First, The Degree of India’s Access to Or Use of Chagos Territory Will Depend on the Terms MAURITIUS ESTABLISHES, ParticulaRly in the Contentx of the Existing Us League of Diego Garcia. Second, India Must Be cautious not to provoke unneecssari tension with China, Especially in a region of the Both Notations Are Vying For Investment Through Economic As well as Military Means. Moreover, The Local Sensitivits, Especially Surrounding The Displated Chagossian Population and Ongoing Human Rights Concepts, Mean that Any Indian Role Must Be diplomiatically Nuanced And development-the Oriented.
