UK Halts Chagos Islands Deal as US Review Looms The UK government has paused its plans to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. The decision comes as the US prepares to review the implications of the deal for its key military base,

Marco Rubio, Trump's pick as secretary of state, has said the deal poses a threat to U.S. security by ceding the archipelago - with its base used by U.S. long-range bombers and warships - to a country he claims is allied with China.

Britain’s government has confirmed that it will not finalize a deal to hand over sovereignty of the contested Chagos Islands to Mauritius until President-elect Donald Trump’s administration is consult

Mauritius is in “no rush” to secure a Chagos Islands deal with the UK and is still pushing for more money, officials have told The Telegraph.

Attorney general of Mauritius says it is ‘unfortunate’ that Donald Trump has the final say on whether deal should go ahead

The UK plans to hand over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius then lease back the strategically important military base on Diego Garcia, which is used by the US, at a reported cost of £90 million a year.

The UK and Mauritius said they have made “good progress” in talks to save the Chagos Islands deal. Sir Keir Starmer’s Government is considering frontloading payments to Mauritius to sweeten the deal, which involves giving up sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory and leasing back a strategically important UK-US military base.

Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam criticised the deal and described Britain’s agreement the government before his as a ‘sell out’.