The ‘Indo’ exit: Pentagon’s PACOM reset raises questions about India’s place in Trump’s Asia calculus
The U.S. Department of Defense announced Tuesday that U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) will once again be known as Pacific Command (PACOM), reviving the name used from 1947 to 2018.
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Accordingly Rajghatta’s report in ToIThe announcement came just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was due to meet President Donald Trump during the G7 summit, giving added significance to what many saw as a highly symbolic move.
Attempting to downplay the significance of the renaming, the Pentagon said, “The command’s core mission and unwavering commitment to maintaining a free and open space with regional allies and partners remains unchanged.”
It was also emphasized that the command’s area of responsibility still extends “to the western border of India”.
Separately, Trump sought to reassure New Delhi during his meeting with Modi, telling reporters that the US would be there to help India if anyone attacked the country and insisting bilateral relations “couldn’t get any better”.
Symbolism and strategy
Despite official assurances, the renaming troubled observers because the term “Indo-Pacific” was deliberately adopted by the first Trump administration in 2018 to signal that the Indian and Pacific Oceans formed a single strategic space and to highlight India’s growing importance in balancing the rise of China.
The timing of the change added to unrest over differences over tariffs, India’s Russian energy purchases, visa issues affecting Indian professionals and America’s renewed relations with Pakistan.
The Pentagon argued that the decision was based on history rather than strategy.
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“Restoring the former USPACOM designation honors the command’s deep historical roots,” he said, citing the command’s role in the post-World War II security architecture, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and decades of humanitarian operations.
But South Asia security analyst Christopher Clary questioned the logic of this, saying: “Maybe it was a stupid idea to add ‘Indo-‘ to Combatant Command’s name, but once you’ve made that decision, you really have to stick with it unless there’s a very good policy reason, which there isn’t.”
New questions about the four
The renaming has also fueled debate among some segments of the strategic community about whether the Trump administration is re-evaluating its approach to China, the Quad grouping and partnerships including India.
Former foreign minister Kanwal Sibal criticized the move on
At the same time, the administration’s supporters reject suggestions that Washington is withdrawing from Asia.
They note that Admiral Samuel Paparo is seeking congressional approval for a $122 billion package aimed at strengthening military deterrence against China, while Pentagon officials continue to describe India as a “critical anchor” in the Indian Ocean and military cooperation and defense technology ties remain strong.
But many strategists believe names are important because they reflect priorities, and dropping the word “Indian” risks creating the impression that Washington is mentally redrawing its strategic map at a time when China’s footprint in the Indian Ocean region continues to expand, they say.
(Contributed by ToI’s Chidanand Rajghatta)
