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Diego Garcia: Military Bases

Asked by Ben Obese-JectyConservativeMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 3 July 2025UIN 62856

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the US government is required to seek permission from the UK in order to launch offensive military action from Navy Support Facility Diego Garcia under the UK-Mauritius Treaty.

Answered by Luke Pollard

Annex 1, paragraph 1(b)(i) of the treaty sets out that the United Kingdom will have unrestricted ability to control the conduct and deployment of armed operations. No permission is required as a result of this treaty, as US operations from Diego Garcia are governed by a separate Exchange of Notes between the UK and US.

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