A British minister denied on Wednesday media reports that the government could end up paying billions of pounds more to Mauritius under a renegotiated deal to retain a U.S.-British military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

If Britain wants to remain a reliable partner in our security alliance, it must be willing to defend its sovereignty. As much as President Trump uses unpredictability as a diplomatic tool, I can predict one thing for sure: there is no way he will allow Britain to give up its sovereignty over the Chagos Islands.

Britain struck a deal in October to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius – a former colony that became independent in 1968 – while retaining control under a 99-year lease of the military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island of the Chagos archipelago.

Britain and Mauritius denied on Wednesday media reports that London could end up paying double the amount in a renegotiated deal to retain a U.S.-British military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

Mauritius's prime minister said Tuesday that his country had reached a newly renegotiated deal with Britain over control of the strategic Chagos Islands, but was awaiting US President Donald Trump's opinion.

Navin Ramgoolam said Donald Trump was ‘not a wolf’ and it was better to let him review the prospective deal between the UK and Mauritius.