Force structure, readiness, power projection, and deterrence: the Bureau’s strategic assessment of IO’s military capability — scored 0–100 across 24 causal dimensions.
IO carries no military score in the Bureau’s v10 assessment (195 scored states). This is generally a territory without standing armed forces of its own — defense resting with the administering state — or with insufficient data for an honest assessment. Rather than invent a score, the Bureau withholds one.
Missing data is never treated as zero: no score is shown where observation is impossible.
Air power could not be observed in this assessment — missing data caps the score, it is never treated as zero.
Type-by-type inventory in preparation — this dossier deepens as coverage grows. Nothing here is estimated silently.
Land warfare could not be observed in this assessment — missing data caps the score, it is never treated as zero.
Type-by-type inventory in preparation — this dossier deepens as coverage grows. Nothing here is estimated silently.
Naval power could not be observed in this assessment — missing data caps the score, it is never treated as zero.
Type-by-type inventory in preparation — this dossier deepens as coverage grows. Nothing here is estimated silently.
Missile forces could not be observed in this assessment — missing data caps the score, it is never treated as zero.
Type-by-type inventory in preparation — this dossier deepens as coverage grows. Nothing here is estimated silently.
Status: —
Nuclear deterrence: not observed
Nuclear survivability: not observed
no regular military forces
defense is the responsibility of the UK; on 22 May 2025, the United Kingdom and Mauritius signed an agreement that will lead to the transfer of sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius; under the agreement, the United Kingdom will lease Diego Garcia from Mauritius for 99 years and maintain full operational control of the joint UK-US military base
