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.

Mauritius has indicated that it has secured more concessions from the United Kingdom in the Chagos Islands deal, raising the lease payments for the Diego Garcia military base

Government refuses to confirm true cost of inflation-liked deal as opposition to Prime Minister’s agreement grows

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.

The UK government has denied claims made by the prime minister of Mauritius that it faces paying billions more under a renegotiated deal over the future of the Chagos Islands. Last October, the UK announced it would hand over sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius but would maintain a 99-year lease over the UK-US military airbase on the largest island,

There are signs of unease within the Government about the plan to hand over the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Britain's Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty said reports on the cost of payments to retain Chagos Islands rising from 9 billion pounds (USD 11.29 billion) to 18 billion pounds were "categorically untrue".