Officials in Mauritius are optimistic that the Chagos Islands deal will be signed soon after a reportedly “cordial” call last week between the country’s prime minister and Sir Keir Starmer.

There is hope that the historic agreement securing the country’s sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago will be signed on March 12 – Mauritius Independence Day.

A top official close to the office of Navin Ramgoolam, the Mauritian prime minister, told The Telegraph: “The phone call between the two was cordial and there is hope that the deal will be signed soon.”

The official confirmed that the island of Diego Garcia, home to a key US military base, was discussed during the call.

“Our prime minister reassured his UK counterpart that securing the military base’s future depends on resolving the legal uncertainty over the archipelago’s sovereignty,” he said.

He said the UK has reassured Mauritius that the UK remained committed to finalising the agreement and that Mauritius had assured London that no third party, including China, would be given access to any other strategic islands in the archipelago.