Second, on Diego Garcia and the Chagos Archipelago, the 2025 UK-Mauritius treaty, which India officially welcomed, has been complicated by Trump’s criticism of the deal and Washington’s direct bilateral security engagement with Mauritius. Further, through the State Partnership Programme, the US has paired the state of New Mexico’s National Guard with the Seychelles Defence Forces and Mauritius Police Force. The partnership focuses on enhancing maritime security, promoting regional stability, and strengthening disaster preparedness, and can challenge India’s standing as the IOR’s Preferred Security Partner and First Responder, a role central to India’s value proposition within the Quad. This is not a rupture but a reminder that the US Indian Ocean strategy is ultimately defined in Washington, and not necessarily in concert with New Delhi, its global strategic partner.
