Select committee: International Relations and Defence Committee

Implications of the transfer of sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago

Closed Opened 4 Jun 2025 Closed 9 Nov 2025

Where it stands

The inquiry is closed, opened 4 June 2025.

The committee has not published a report yet.

1 session

On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.

Date	Session and witnesses	Source
11 Jun 2025	Oral evidence Cleo Paskal · The Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Darshana Baruah · IISS–Asia, Dr Bryan Wilson · University of Oxford, Dr Thomas Withington · Royal United Services Institute, Dr Zack Cooper · American Enterprise Institute, Professor Alessio Patalano · Kings College London, Department of War Studies, Professor Philippe Sands KC · University College London (UCL), Professor Richard Ekins KC (Hon) · St John's College, University of Oxford	View ↗

8 witnesses

On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.

Witness	Organisation	Sessions
Cleo Paskal · Non-Resident Senior Fellow for the Indo-Pacific	The Foundation for Defense of Democracies	1
Darshana Baruah · Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow for Indo-Pacific Defence and Strategy	IISS–Asia	1
Dr Bryan Wilson · Research Fellow in Biology	University of Oxford	1
Dr Thomas Withington · Associate Fellow and expert in electronic warfare and air defence	Royal United Services Institute	1
Dr Zack Cooper · Senior Fellow, US strategy in Asia	American Enterprise Institute	1
Professor Alessio Patalano · Professor	Kings College London, Department of War Studies	1
Professor Philippe Sands KC · Professor of Public Understanding of Law	University College London (UCL)	1
Professor Richard Ekins KC (Hon) · Professor of Law and Constitutional Government	St John's College, University of Oxford	1

2 letters

On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.

Published	Direction	Letter
26 Jun 2025	To committee	Letter from the Chair to the Foreign Secretary, regarding the implications of the transfer of sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago, dated 26 June 2025
25 Jun 2025	To committee	Letter from Stephen Doughty MP, Minister of State, FCDO, to the Chair and the Rt Hon Lord Goldsmith KC, Chair of the International Agreements Committee, regarding questions raised during the ministerial evidence session on 17 June 2025, dated 23 June 2025

1 item

On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.

Date	Type	Detail	Source
25 Jun 2025	Formal meeting (private meeting)	Private discussion · Room 2A, Palace of Westminster