Arnaud Poulay never intended to leave his small Indian Ocean island home of Agalega, but this year, feeling disheartened by what he perceives as the militarization of his homeland, he packed up and left.
Until recently, Agalega was a quiet island with a population of just 350, reliant on fishing and coconut farming, with food supplies brought in by ship four times a year from Mauritius, located 1,100 km to the south. Its small airstrip was rarely used, except during medical emergencies.
In 2015, Mauritius, of which Agalega is a part, signed an agreement allowing India to construct a 3,000-meter runway and a large new jetty as part of a growing partnership in maritime security. Some locals worry this could escalate into a military foothold.
Poulay, a 44-year-old handyman and reggae musician, led protests against the development, stating, “I love my island and my island loves me, but when that base was unveiled, I knew I had to leave.”
Agalega, a pair of small islands spanning 25 square kilometers in the southwestern Indian Ocean, is seen as an ideal location for India to monitor regional marine traffic. Satellite images show significant changes, with a runway now cutting through a previously palm-covered stretch between the island’s two main villages, La Fourche and Vingt-Cinq.
Two 60-meter-wide structures appear on the tarmac, likely aircraft hangars for Indian navy planes, according to Samuel Bashfield, a PhD scholar at the Australian National University. The P-8I aircraft, modified from a Boeing 737 for submarine detection and maritime surveillance, has already been photographed on Agalega.
A new jetty extends into the ocean, potentially accessible to Indian patrol vessels and the supply ship that services the island. Bashfield notes that with more satellite images, Agalega’s strategic role may become clearer.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies describes the development as a “surveillance station,” likely equipped with radar systems similar to those India has elsewhere in Mauritius.
While the Indian government declined to comment, previous statements emphasize a strong partnership with Mauritius in facing maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean. India and Mauritius have had close defense ties since the 1970s, with several high-level officials in Mauritius hailing from Indian intelligence and defense backgrounds.
The facility, says Prof. Harsh Pant of King’s College London, is likely meant to appear as a capacity-building initiative rather than an overt military base, although it aligns with India’s concerns about China’s rising influence in the Indian Ocean.
Construction on Agalega has unsettled some locals. Certain areas, including sections of the island’s pristine beaches, have been fenced off, and rumors persist that La Fourche village may be overtaken by Indian infrastructure, displacing the 10 families who live there.
Laval Soopramanien, president of the Association of Friends of Agalega, fears “Agalega will become like the Chagos Islands,” a sentiment echoed by 26-year-old Billy Henri, whose mother was displaced from Chagos. Henri worries that his father, an Agalegan, may suffer the same fate.
Many Agalegans are descendants of Chagos Islanders, who were forced out in 1965 when the UK declared the islands British territory and permitted the US to build a base on Diego Garcia. This pattern of eviction weighs heavily on Agalegans, who face challenges like poor healthcare and education, limited local investment, and restrictions on starting businesses.
The Mauritius government, however, asserts that residents will not be evicted and that the airport and port access restrictions are meant to combat piracy and illegal fishing. While denying that Agalega hosts a military base, the government acknowledges that India will help maintain and operate the new facilities, which were funded by India.
Both governments maintain that these developments will improve transportation and economic prospects on Agalega. However, locals report no improvement, with limited ferry services and no commercial flights. Agalegans also say they are denied access to a new Indian-built hospital, although government reports highlight its modern facilities.
Henri recounts an incident where a boy suffering severe burns was denied entry to this hospital and had to be airlifted to Mauritius. The boy and his family remain on the main island until the next boat departs for Agalega, but neither government provided comments on this incident.
Recently, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth told parliament that his government’s agenda prioritizes Agalega’s socio-economic development, citing plans to improve health, education, transport, and local industries.
However, a lack of transparency around the 2015 agreement between India and Mauritius has fueled mistrust among Agalegans, who remain uncertain about their island’s future.
