New Delhi, May 23 -- The United Kingdom has agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, following a High Court ruling that has cleared the way for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to formalise the contentious agreement. This deal brings an end to decades of British administration over the Indian Ocean archipelago - which has been the subject of ongoing legal and diplomatic disputes since the islands were detached from Mauritius in 1965.

Under the agreement, the UK will pay Mauritius an average of £101 million a year to lease back the base for at least 99 years.

Starmer said that the base, operated by US forces, is crucial for British counterterrorism and intelligence and is "right at the foundation of our safety a...