Can Mauritius reclaim Diego Garcia?
Backed by China, Mauritius demands return of Diego Garcia—seizing on US-Israel tensions & UN rulings to reclaim its stolen islands. As great powers collide, a tiny nation challenges Western military dominance.
PORT LOUIS, Mauritius — For fifty years, Mauritius has fought to reclaim Diego Garcia from the UK and US. Now, with China’s backing and a perfect storm of geopolitical tensions, this small island nation sees its best shot at victory.
The Stolen Archipelago
The Chagos Islands, including Diego Garcia, were severed from Mauritius by Britain in 1965—three years before its independence. Over 2,000 Chagossians were expelled at gunpoint, their pets slaughtered, and their homeland leased to the U.S. for a strategic military base.
"We are the victims of colonial robbery," says Olivier Bancoult, a Chagossian activist. "Our fight is justice, not geopolitics."
But geopolitics has become Mauritius’ unexpected ally.
China’s Calculated Backing
Mauritius’ government has turned this historical wound into a geopolitical opportunity. After the UN’s International Court of Justice ruled in 2019 that Britain’s occupation was illegal, Port Louis began courting Beijing’s support. China, recognizing the strategic value of challenging Western dominance in the Indian Ocean, has since bankrolled Mauritius’ legal battles while quietly positioning naval assets near Chagos waters.
US-Israel Tensions: Mauritius’ Opening
The timing coincides with a perfect storm of global tensions. When leaked Iranian communications in March 2025 revealed discussions of striking Diego Garcia, Mauritian diplomats seized the moment. “Why should our islands bear the risk of being targets in Western conflicts?” argued Prime Minister Jugnauth at the UN General Assembly. China’s ambassador nodded in approval.
Washington faces a dilemma. Diego Garcia remains critical for monitoring Chinese submarines and supporting Middle East operations—including sensitive missions involving Israel. Yet as Israel-China tech deals multiply and Global South nations rally behind Mauritius, the U.S. finds itself defending a colonial relic increasingly viewed as illegitimate.
For the exiled Chagossians, the geopolitics obscure a simpler truth. “This isn’t about America or China,” says activist Olivier Bancoult, watching another Mauritian “sovereignty flotilla” get intercepted by British ships. “It’s about righting a wrong that’s lasted generations.”
As UK elections approach, Mauritius tests whether moral arguments can outweigh military calculus. The outcome may determine more than an archipelago’s fate—it could signal whether the post-colonial world can rewrite the rules of power. Standing where her childhood home once stood, Lezema’s granddaughter asks: “When do we stop being pawns in someone else’s game?” The waves, at least, have no answer.
Johan Chairil