The islands, named after a Spanish navigator, have a basically symbolic British presence. The United Kingdom hands over the Chagos archipelago (and the massive US base on Diego Garcia island) to Mauritius (and to the Chinese fishing fleet).

The UK has signed a 99-year agreement with Mauritius to retain operational control of the Diego Garcia base, a key UK-US defense hub in the Indian Ocean.

India on Wednesday welcomed the signing of a treaty between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Mauritius on the return of Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia.

Dugasse, 68, has spent most of her life in the Seychelles and the UK, wondering what it would be like to set foot on the tropical island of Diego Garcia, part of the remote cluster of atolls in the middle of the Indian Ocean called the Chagos Islands.

Several American fighter jets have been deployed to a secretive UK - US base in the Indian Ocean to protect assets there, according to reports. Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos Islands which the UK controversially plans to hand over to Mauritius, is home to aircraft including long-range American B-52 Stratofrotress bombers.