According to the agreement, the UK and the USA will still be able to use a military base located on the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia.
The strategic location of this base is of vital importance, says Starmer according to BBC.
The base will be rented for 101 million pounds per year, equivalent to 1.3 billion kronor. The agreement applies for at least 99 years.
The Chagos Archipelago consists mainly of seven atolls located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, far northeast of Mauritius.
The scattered island group belonged to Mauritius until the 1960s, when Mauritius was still a British colony. In connection with Mauritius becoming independent, the UK separated the Chagos Archipelago and retained control over them – to then forcibly relocate their indigenous population, the Chagossians, to Mauritius.
