▲ U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command has been renamed back to the "Pacific Command" after eight years.
The name, which was changed during the first Trump administration, has been restored to its original title.
The U.S. Department of Defense announced the change on June 16 (local time), stating, "This restoration honors the command's deep historical roots and fosters pride and unity among all service members serving in the Pacific region."
The department emphasized that it was under the Pacific Command name that regional security frameworks were established and coalition forces participated in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
Established in 1947 during the Harry Truman administration, the Pacific Command is the oldest and largest of the U.S. combatant commands.
The U.S. Department of Defense noted that the command's area of responsibility remains unchanged, spanning from the U.S. West Coast to the western border of India, and stressed that "the fundamental mission and steadfast commitment to maintaining a free and open theater alongside regional allies and partners remain unchanged."
The change to Indo-Pacific Command was announced in May 2018 by then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis during the first Trump administration.
It was a measure intended to strengthen cooperation with India to counter China, which was expanding its influence beyond the Pacific into the Indian Ocean.
U.S.-India relations have recently entered a period of strain.
Following the death of three Indian crew members in a tanker attack during a U.S.-led maritime blockade against Iran, the Indian Foreign Minister summoned the acting U.S. Ambassador to India twice in three days.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.