Trump admin drops ‘Indo’ from US Pacific Command name: Shashi Tharoor asks ‘Another nail in Quad’s coffin?’ | Today’s news
Roughly eight years after US President Donald Trump’s administration changed the name of its Pacific Command to the Indo-Pacific Command, the US has returned to its original name. The War Department announced in a press release on Tuesday (local time) that the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) will officially change its name to the US Pacific Command (USPACOM).
The move has already sparked political backlash in India, with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor reviewing the decision.
Originally established on January 1, 1947 by former US President Harry Truman, the command has operated under the USPACOM banner for more than seven decades and is America’s oldest and largest unified combatant command.
In a statement, the War Department said, “The restoration of the USPACOM heritage designation honors the command’s deep historical roots and fosters a sense of pride and collective spirit among all who serve in the Pacific.”
He added: “From its pivotal role in creating a regional security architecture after World War II to coordinating joint forces during the Korean War, the Vietnam War and countless humanitarian operations, USPACOM’s namesake carries decades of military heritage and enduring regional partnerships.
USPACOM renamed in 2018
In 2018, when the Command was renamed USINDOPACOM, it was seen as a sign of India’s growing importance to the Pentagon, The Print reported.
For New Delhi, the 2018 renaming proved to be an important institutional channel for expanding defense cooperation with Washington.
The command increasingly symbolized the deepening defense partnership between India and the United States, characterized by expanded joint military exercises, enhanced naval cooperation, greater intelligence sharing, and broader strategic connectivity within the Indo-Pacific region.
Former US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said on May 31, 2018, “Relationships with our allies and partners in the Pacific and Indian Oceans have proven critical to maintaining regional stability,” adding, “Given the growing connectivity between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, today we are renaming the US Pacific Command the US Indo-Pacific Command.”
However, the decision to return to its original name is meant to honor the Command’s deep historical roots. The War Department also emphasized that the renaming does not change the command’s operational role, strategic mission or geographic scope.
According to the statement, USPACOM’s area of responsibility — extending from waters off the US west coast to India’s western border — remains unchanged. The ministry added that its commitment to maintaining a “free and open theater alongside regional allies and partners” would continue without interruption.
Meaning of USPACOM
The command reportedly played a critical role in shaping post-World War II security arrangements in Asia and coordinating joint military operations during major conflicts, including the Korean and Vietnam Wars, as well as humanitarian and disaster response missions.
Until this latest change, USINDOPACOM served as the principal US military command responsible for operations, planning, defense partnerships, and regional security throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Headquartered in Hawaii, the command oversees a vast strategic zone covering the Pacific Ocean, much of the Indian Ocean, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and parts of South Asia.
The command’s responsibilities cover defense readiness and deterrence, military exercises with partner nations, maritime security operations, disaster response and contingency planning.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor kicks himself out
The decision to revert the name to the original has now sparked a political backlash in India, with Tharoor taking a veiled dig. In response to the announcement, he posted a short but to the point note on X: “Another nail in Quad’s coffin?” and shared screenshots of the order issued by the War Department.
