Former President Mohamed Nasheed has stated that Mauritius remains open to engaging in dialogue with the Maldives, despite the recent suspension of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Speaking on Saturday after returning to Malé from the 10th Indian Ocean Dialogue held in New Delhi, India, Nasheed said he had encouraged Mauritian officials to pursue discussions aimed at resolving the ongoing dispute.

He also expressed hope that the Maldivian government would take this opportunity to move forward with diplomatic engagement and negotiations with Mauritius.

Diplomatic ties between the Maldives and Mauritius were severed on February following disagreements over the Chagos Archipelago dispute.

The suspension came in the wake of remarks by President Mohamed Muizzu during his Presidential Address at the opening of the current parliamentary term earlier this year, in which he announced the withdrawal of a 22 August 2022 letter sent by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to the Mauritian Prime Minister that had acknowledged Mauritius’ sovereign authority over Chagos.

The current administration argues that this letter weakened the Maldives’ legal position and contributed to an outcome that adversely affected the country’s maritime entitlements in the area.

Most recently, the dispute has further internationalised, with Mauritius’ late‑February decision to suspend diplomatic relations with the Maldives still in force, and no signs of rapprochement to date.'

In April 2026, the Maldives publicly welcomed the United Kingdom’s move to pause the planned handover of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius, framing the delay as an opportunity to reopen talks that recognise Maldives's claimed historical ties and maritime rights in the area. 

The Maldives and Mauritius initially established diplomatic relations on 15 January 1981.