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.

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 Indian Ocean archipelago is home to a strategically important naval and bomber base on the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia. Under the agreement, the U.K. will pay Mauritius an average of ...