The UK announced in October it would cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, but maintain control of a joint US-UK military base there.
US President-elect Donald Trump will be consulted on the UK's deal to hand over the Chagos Islands, where there is a joint US-UK military base, to Mauritius.
The UK announced in October it would cede sovereignty of the archipelago in the Indian Ocean, but maintain control of the base on the largest island Diego Garcia under a 99-year lease.
Efforts to get the treaty signed before Trump's inauguration on Monday had been made, and it had been expected the Mauritian cabinet would approve the deal on Wednesday.
But a Mauritius source close to the negotiations told the BBC that the British position changed "overnight".
The deal had already been greenlit by the Biden administration but the UK prime minister's office on Wednesday said the incoming Trump government would now "consider" the deal.
It is unclear if Trump's administration would have any objection. The incoming president has not publicly commented on the deal.
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