The United States Department of War announced that the U.S Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) would be officially renamed back to the U.S Pacific Command (USPACOM), which had been its original name under which the military command operated for over 70 years.
The command also showed Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as part of Pakistan in its “Area of Responsibility Map” section on its official website with regard to its operational territory in the Indo-Pacific region.
The then U.S Defense Secretary Jim Mattis had redesigned the command as the U.S Indo-Pacific Command in 2018 to reflect the “growing strategic importance of the Indian Ocean region and its increasing integration with Pacific security dynamics”.
The Department of War said it restored the command to its original name to honour its historical identity and institutional legacy.
The department said the restoration “honors the command’s deep historical roots, fostering a sense of pride and collective spirit among all who serve in the Pacific”.
It also clarified that the decision did not change the command’s operational role, strategic mission, or geographic scope.
It said in its statement that the command’s area of responsibility continues to be from waters off the western coast of the Unites States to India’s western boundary. The War Department further added that its commitment to maintain a “free and open theater alongside regional allies and partners” will remain uninterrupted.
Shashi Tharoor reacts
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor responded to the news on X with a short comment, “One more nail in the coffin of the Quad?”
The announcement has triggered similar concerns that removing “Indo” from the name could mean a shift in messaging around the United States’ Indo-Pacific strategy and the role of groupings such as Quad, which is a strategic forum consisting of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.
However, U.S officials continue to maintain that the decision only affects the command’s name and historical continuity and that it would not interrupt its structure, responsibilities, and regional commitments.
