MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Why the Chagos Islands are strategically vital to US and UK military operations

The US base on Diego Garcia is sizable and is seen as very important to maintaining regional stability.

The Chagos Archipelago is of major military significance as it hosts the strategically located Diego Garcia base.

Diego Garcia, the largest of the 55 islands that make up the archipelago, forms part of the British Indian Ocean Territory. Control of the islands passed to Britain following France’s cession of several Indian Ocean territories under the 1814 Treaty of Paris. The UK formally purchased the Chagos Islands for £3 million in November 1965, establishing the BIOT.

The joint US–UK base on Diego Garcia is a key hub for US naval and air operations. It supports US Navy logistics vessels and long-range bombers, including the B-1B Lancer, providing a secure platform for operations across the Middle East and the wider Indo-Pacific region.

The facility is considered critical to maintaining regional stability. While the base hosts a small UK contingent—estimated at around 40 personnel responsible for policing and customs—it is primarily operated by the United States.

In total, approximately 396 joint military personnel are stationed on Diego Garcia, alongside more than 2,000 US Department of Defense civilians and contractors.