Washington, 17 June

The US has restored the name of the US Indo-Pacific Command to the US Pacific Command, reversing an eight-year-old decision.

The US Department of Defence announced the decision on Tuesday, stating that the designation honours the Command's deep historical roots, established in 1947 by then-President Harry Truman.

The US Pacific Command extends from the US West Coast to India's western border.

“Originally established on 1 January 1947, by President Harry S Truman, the command operated under the USPACOM banner for over 70 years, standing as the oldest and largest of the United States' unified combatant commands,” the Department of Defence said in a statement.

The US Pacific Command was renamed as the US Indo-Pacific Command in 2018 during US President Donald Trump’s first term in office.

“Restoring the legacy USPACOM designation honours the command’s deep historical roots, fostering a sense of pride and collective spirit among all who serve in the Pacific,” the Department of Defence said.

“From its critical role in establishing the post-WWII regional security architecture to its coordination of joint forces during the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and countless humanitarian operations, the USPACOM namesake carries decades of military heritage and enduring regional partnerships,” it said.

USPACOM’s vast area of responsibility – spanning from the waters off the West Coast of the United States to the western border of India – remains the same, the statement said.

The command's fundamental mission and its unwavering commitment to maintaining a free and open theatre alongside regional allies and partners are unchanged, the Department of Defence said.

In 2018, then-Defence Secretary James Mattis had said that the name was changed to Indo-Pacific Command in recognition of the increasing connectivity between the Indian and Pacific oceans.

The command stretches “from Bollywood to Hollywood, and from penguins to polar bears,” and plays an important part in America’s National Defence Strategy, Mattis had said in 2018.