The project, managed by Navitas Petroleum Development and Production Ltd and its partner Rockhopper Exploration, reached a final investment decision earlier this year. With funding and regulatory approvals secured, the companies expect to begin extraction by March 2028. The operation is projected to span three decades, providing a significant boost to the local Falklands economy and British supply chains.

Navitas and Rockhopper maintain that their activities are fully compliant with existing law, citing valid drilling licenses granted by the British government. This confrontation revives tensions rooted in the 1982 war over the islands, which Britain has administered since 1833. Milei’s aggressive stance follows his recent critique of the United Nations, signaling a broader shift in his administration's foreign policy approach to territorial claims.