Diego Garcia

Fifteen Indian fishermen from Kanniyakumari, Tamil Nadu, were reportedly detained by the British Navy near Diego Garcia Island for allegedly crossing into restricted waters.

• Diego Garcia is the largest and southernmost island of the Chagos Archipelago, located in the central Indian Ocean.
• It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), established in 1965 when the UK separated it from Mauritius.
• The island hosts a significant U.S. military base, serving strategic roles in surveillance, refueling, and operations across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.
• The island was discovered by Portuguese explorers in the early 1500s and remained uninhabited until the French began using it as a leper colony and for coconut plantations in the late 18th century.