Naveed"New #Delhi knows that any cracks in its arc of influence across the ##India|n Ocean will provide an opening for #China, which is also contesting for influence in the island-states, to make inroads." https://asia.nikkei.com/politics/international-relations/india-s-geopolitical-clout-tested-in-maldives-mauritius-rift-over-chagos
This diplomatic flash point has surfaced in the wake of Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu raising the ante soon after his late 2023 election to mount a campaign to claim #Chagos as part of his island nation's territory.
This turn has included lobbying support from the #UK, which had controlled #Chagos as an Indian Ocean territory since the years of colonial rule but has conceded to cede it to #Mauritius after the ICJ in 2019 issued an advisory opinion that recognizes Mauritius' sovereignty.