DT reported a 10-fold increase in the stated price for renting Chagos to the British

The lease of the Chagos archipelago in the center of the Indian Ocean for the UK has increased to £35 billion ($46.7 billion), which is 10 times more than promised by the country's Prime Minister Keir Starmer. This was reported on August 10 by The Daily Telegraph (DT) newspaper, citing sources.

"According to the documents, <...> the government's own estimate of the cost of the transfer <...> to Mauritius is almost £35 billion, which is much higher than the figure of £3.4 billion ($4.56 billion) that Starmer had previously announced," the publication said.

It is noted that the British Prime Minister will abandon the islands in favor of the Diego Garcia military base, which was built there in the 1970s.

However, as the newspaper reported, Starmer was accused of hiding the bill to taxpayers as a result of a near-failed deal.

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Earlier, on May 22, it was reported that the United Kingdom planned to sign an agreement with Mauritius on the transfer of the Chagos Archipelago under its sovereignty. The relevant deal, as specified, was concluded in October 2024. According to interstate agreements, Mauritius, receiving the Chagos Archipelago, agrees in return to ensure the continued presence of a British-American military base on it for the next 99 years. After this period, London reserves the right to extend its presence on the island for another 40 years.

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