US drops ‘Indo’ from its largest military command:Trump had added term to elevate India’s role in countering China

The US Department of Defence has announced that the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) has been renamed back to US Pacific Command (USPACOM). The word ‘Indo’ has now been removed from this command. US defence secretary Jim Mattis had changed the name of the command in 2018. At that time, America had said that the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean region was increasing, and this region had become more connected to the Pacific Ocean security system than before. What is the US Pacific Command? The American military operates by dividing the entire world into different regions. For these, there are 11 Commands. Of these, 6 are strategic and 5 are functional commands. US Pacific is part of the strategic command. It is one of America’s largest and most important military commands. This command is active in the Asia and Pacific Ocean regions. Why is there discussion about changing the name now? The US Department of Defence said that the US Pacific Command name is very old and historical. Bringing it back will make soldiers feel proud of their heritage. This name has been associated with many major wars and important missions, which is why it has been adopted again. The Pentagon also stated that only the name of the command has been changed, with no changes in strategy and responsibilities. However, some experts believe that removing the word ‘Indo’ could send a message that America does not want to give as much prominence to the Indian Ocean and India as before. In his first term, Trump considered China the biggest threat. At that time, he wanted to show that India was an important part of his Asia strategy and that India had a crucial role in countering China. He had also tried to indicate that the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean are one strategic region. According to experts, Trump’s priorities may have now changed.