UK reviews Chagos deal and suspends Diego Garcia lease payments

Britain has halted its €139 million‑a‑year lease payments for the strategic Diego Garcia base as senior ministers seek to renegotiate the terms of the arrangement to satisfy Washington’s requirements. The suspension, announced by the Foreign Office, comes amid ongoing discussions with the United States over the future of the 1966 agreement that grants the US exclusive access to the atoll in the Indian Ocean, a key hub for American military operations.

Within the UK, the move has sparked a partisan debate: Conservative MPs are urging a complete termination of the lease, arguing that the arrangement no longer serves Britain’s interests, while the government stresses the need for a revised deal that preserves the alliance’s security cooperation. Officials indicated that negotiations are expected to continue in the coming weeks, with the outcome set to determine whether the lease will be reinstated under new conditions or formally ended.