US Defense Department Reinstates Original Title of Pacific Military Branch

n n

The Pentagon is set to restore the name of the US Indo-Pacific Command to the US Pacific Command, it said on Tuesday, reversing a 2018 decision.

n

The renaming will not change the command’s area of responsibility, which stretches from the western part of India to America’s Pacific coastline, the Department of War said in a statement.

n

Its “fundamental mission and its unwavering commitment to maintaining a free and open theatre alongside regional allies and partners” also remain unchanged, it added.

n

The name change “honours the command’s deep historical roots, fostering a sense of pride and collective spirit among all who serve in the Pacific,” the department said, without giving additional details.

n

The US Pacific Command was established by former President Harry Truman after World War II.

n

It operated under that name for over 70 years before being renamed as the US Indo-Pacific Command in 2018, in a nod to the growing importance of the Indian Ocean in US strategic thinking.

n

The 2018 name change also came as part of broader efforts by Washington to counter China’s growing influence across the Asia-Pacific domain.

n

AFP

n n