Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Mauritius on Tuesday to discuss strengthening strategic ties, just days after U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for a potential agreement between Mauritius and Britain regarding the future of the U.S.-British military base in the Chagos Archipelago.

Modi will attend Mauritius’ national day celebrations as the chief guest and hold talks with Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, who assumed office for the third time in 2024. Last month, Trump signaled backing for a deal between Mauritius and the UK concerning the Chagos Archipelago, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean that includes Diego Garcia, a key joint military base used by the U.S. and Britain since the 1970s.

Indian officials view progress on the Chagos sovereignty issue positively, as New Delhi has historically supported Mauritius’ claims while also favoring the U.S. presence in the Indian Ocean to counter China’s growing influence. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that Modi’s visit could provide an opportunity for Mauritius to update India on any remaining issues regarding the deal, reaffirming India’s support for a mutually beneficial resolution.

Although Mauritius gained independence in 1968, Britain retained control over the Chagos Islands, displacing around 2,000 inhabitants to establish the Diego Garcia base, which was leased to the U.S. in 1966. Security analysts, such as Samuel Bashfield from the Australia India Institute, suggest that India has a vested interest in maintaining the U.S. presence at Diego Garcia as a strategic counterbalance to China.

India has been expanding its influence in the Indian Ocean, including assisting Mauritius in developing sea and air infrastructure on the remote Agalega Islands. Experts believe Diego Garcia could serve as a useful base for Indian surveillance aircraft. A source close to Prime Minister Ramgoolam’s office emphasized that both India and the U.S. share a common goal of limiting China’s regional influence, especially as Beijing has invested heavily in infrastructure projects across the Indian Ocean, from the Maldives to Sri Lanka.