Varanasi, Sept. 11 -- Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam on Thursday revealed that after the UK handed over the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, to Mauritius, a vessel was offered by the British Government to hoist its national flag there but Port Louis declined, opting instead for an Indian vessel due to its symbolic significance.

Addressing a joint press briefing after the bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ramgoolam stated, "We want to visit Chagos to put our flag there, including Diego Garcia. The British offered us a vessel, but we said we preferred one from India because symbolically it would be better."

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