Why the Chagos Islands are so important: How a top-secret spy base in the middle of nowhere has sparked furious row between Trump and Britain: CHRIS PLEASANCE

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 08:07 EDT, 24 September 2026 | Updated: 08:08 EDT, 24 September 2026 Why are these islands so important that two successive Prime Ministers would risk torching relations with Britain’s closest ally over them?At first glance, it's a difficult question to answer. The islands are in the middle of nowhere in the Indian Ocean, almost 1,000 miles from the nearest mainland.They host a US military base called Diego Garcia, which is a useful stop-off point for American bombers and handy for supplying warships. But the base seems too far from anywhere to be truly vital - until you realise its remote location is exactly the point.Watch the video above to find out.