India respects sovereignty of Mauritius over Chagos: Modi

PM's two-day official visit to Mauritius concludes; witnesses the inking of eight MoUs

- NIKHIL VYAS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India fully respects the sovereignty of Mauritius with regard to the Chagos archipelago as the two countries signed eight Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) including one on sharing of white shipping information.

Addressing a joint press conference alongside Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam on the second and final day of his State Visit to the island nation, PM Modi said: "We fully respect the sovereignty of Mauritius with regard to Chagos. We will extend our cooperation through forums such as the Colombo Security Conclave, Indian Ocean Rim Association, and Indian Ocean Conference."

India has welcomed the agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius on the return of Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, where there is a key US military base, emphasising that the treaty completes the decolonisation of Mauritius.

The agreement meant that Mauritius would assume sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) of Chagos Archipelago, with the UK authorised to exercise the sovereign rights of Mauritius on Diego Garcia.