The United Kingdom has formally agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to the Republic of Mauritius. This decision follows a high court ruling that authorized Prime Minister Keir Starmer to sign the agreement. The Chagos Islands, located in the Indian Ocean, have been under British administration since the 1960s, when the UK separated them from Mauritius prior to Mauritian independence. The sovereignty of the islands has been a subject of international dispute for decades, with Mauritius claiming that the separation was unlawful and seeking their return. The United Nations General Assembly and the International Court of Justice have both issued opinions supporting Mauritius's claim. The agreement between the UK and Mauritius brings an end to British control over the territory and is expected to have implications for regional geopolitics and the rights of displaced Chagossians, many of whom have sought the right to return to their homeland. The transfer is considered a landmark development in the resolution of colonial-era territorial disputes.