US Indo-Pacific Command Reflects Growing US India Relationship
US Pacific Command was renamed as US Indo-Pacific Command, underscoring the growing importance of India to the Pentagon, in a move widely seen as a public expression of America’s keenness to count India as key partner in its strategic planning. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced on Wednesday May 30, 2018, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, during a change of command ceremony when Admiral Philip Davidson assumed leadership of the command from Admiral Harry Harris, to better reflect what he described as linkages and values in the region, “in recognition of the increasing connectivity, the Indian and Pacific Oceans, today we rename the US Pacific Command to US Indo-Pacific Command.” Mattis added, “Relationships with our Pacific and Indian Ocean allies and partners have proven critical to maintaining regional stability. We stand by our partners and support their sovereign decisions, because all nations large and small are essential to the region if we’re to sustain stability in ocean areas critical to global peace.”
United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is one of six geographic Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces. Its headquarters is located in the Nimitz-MacArthur Building on Camp H.M. Smith just outside of Honolulu, Hawaii. Its Commander reports to the President of the United States through the Secretary of Defense and is supported by four component commands headquartered in Hawaii and have following forces stationed and deployed throughout the region:
- US Pacific Fleet
- US Pacific Air Forces
- US Army Pacific and
- US Marine Forces, Pacific.
USINDOPACOM’s Area of Responsibility (AOR) encompasses about half the earth’s surface, stretching from the waters off the west coast of the US to the western border of India, and from Antarctica to the North Pole. There are few regions as culturally, socially, economically, and geo-politically diverse as the Asia-Pacific. The 36 nations comprising the Asia-Pacific region are home to more than 50% of the world’s population, 3000 different languages, several of the world’s largest militaries, and five nations allied with the US through mutual defense treaties. Two of the three largest economies are located in the Asia-Pacific along with 10 of the 14th smallest. The AOR includes the most populous nation in the world, the largest democracy, and the largest Muslim-majority nation. More than one third of Asia-Pacific nations are smaller, island nations that include the smallest republic in the world and the smallest nation in Asia.
USINDOPACOM protects and defends, in concert with other US Government agencies, the territory of the United States, its people, and its interests. USINDOPACOM, with allies and partners, is committed to enhancing stability in the Asia-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression, and, when necessary, fighting to win. This approach is based on partnership, presence, and military readiness.
USINDOPACOM recognizes the global significance of the Asia-Pacific region and understands that challenges are best met together. Consequently, USPACOM will remain an engaged and trusted partner committed to preserving the security, stability, and freedom upon which enduring prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region depends.
Commanding the newly-named Indo-Pacific Command is now Admiral Philip Davidson, in charge of all US forces in an operational area that covers close to half the planet said, “I think India and the relationship with the United States is the potentially most historic opportunity we have in the 21st century and I intend to pursue that quite rigorously”.
Admiral Harry Harris the previous commander is set to be Trump’s pick to be US Ambassador to the Republic of Korea said, “North Korea remains our most imminent threat and a nuclear-capable North Korea, with missiles that can reach the United States, is unacceptable.” “China remains the biggest long-term challenge, while Russia still represents an existential threat to the US.” Harris added, “A lot in the world has changed since the end of the Soviet Union, and much of the change has been good, but the threat remains.” “Make no mistake, our 27-year holiday from history is over. Great power competition is back,” Harris said. “Freedom and justice hang in the balance and the scale won’t tip of its own accord simply because we wish it would.”
The change of name to US Indo-Pacific Command is meant to reflect the US’s growing relationship with India. But the rhetorical shift is also likely part of a gambit to undercut China’s growing clout in the region as China has also used its One Belt, One Road initiative to grow its sway in Asia and across the Pacific, offering loans and financing for an array of infrastructure and other development programs. Beijing has been criticized for using those economic relationships to gain leverage over smaller countries.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis alluding to China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ policy for the region, and echoing Indian concerns about it said that US Indo-Pacific Command is critical for “a region open to investment and free, fair and reciprocal trade, not bound by any nation’s predatory economics or threat of coercion, for the Indo-Pacific has many belts and many roads”. India is currently caught in the crossfire of anti-Russian sanctions mandated by the US Congress and Mattis has called for waiver for India though it has significant defence cooperation with Russia. The first ‘two-plus-two’ ministerial dialogue between India and the US is scheduled for the first week of July.
US Defence Secretary further said “America continues to invest vigorously in Indo-Pacific stability, bolstering the free and open rules-based international order that has enabled this region to grow and to thrive for over 70 years. While we are prepared to face any who would seek to challenge America’s resolve, our National Defense Strategy is not a strategy of confrontation”. “Americans’ vision is shared by most nations in the region, where every state’s sovereignty is respected, no matter its size, and it’s a region open to investment in free, fair, and reciprocal trade not bound by any nation’s predatory economics or threat of coercion”.