Diego Garcia

Category: World Geography | International Relations | Maritime Security

UPSC Notes

Diego Garcia is a coral atoll in the Chagos Archipelago in the central Indian Ocean. It hosts a strategically important military installation operated jointly by the United States and the United Kingdom under their defence arrangements.

The Chagos Archipelago has been the subject of a long-running sovereignty dispute involving Mauritius and the United Kingdom. A UK–Mauritius agreement concerning the archipelago, including Diego Garcia, was signed on 22 May 2025. Its legal status and implementation should be checked against the latest treaty developments.

Key Pointers

  • Geographical location: Central Indian Ocean.

  • Island type: Coral atoll.

  • Strategic significance: Military logistics, air operations and maritime surveillance.

  • Military presence: Important US–UK defence facility.

  • Sovereignty issue: Dispute involving Mauritius and the United Kingdom.

  • Historical issue: Forced displacement of Chagossian inhabitants during the establishment of the military base.

  • Indian Ocean relevance: Sea-lane security and regional power projection.

  • Exam distinction: Diego Garcia is an atoll within the Chagos Archipelago, not an independent country.

UPSC relevance: Indian Ocean geopolitics, decolonisation, sovereignty, military bases and international law.