13-Apr-2022: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh reaches Hawaii for a visit to US Indo-Pacific Command headquarters

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh reached Hawaii on April 12, 2022 for a visit to the Headquarters of United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). On his arrival from Washington DC, Shri Rajnath Singh was received by Commander, US INDOPACOM Admiral John Aquilino. The USINDOPACOM and Indian military have wide-ranging engagements, including a number of military exercises, training events and exchanges.

The Raksha Mantri will visit the USINDOPACOM headquarters, Pacific Fleet and the training facilities in Hawaii on April 13, 2022, before returning to India. He is also expected to lay wreath at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and visit Headquarters of US Army Pacific and Pacific Air Forces, during his brief stay in Hawaii.

In Washington DC, US President Mr. Joe Biden held a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in the presence of Shri Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Mr. Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Defence Mr. Lloyd Austin.

Later, the Raksha Mantri and External Affairs Minister had co-chaired with their US counterparts the 4th India-US Ministerial 2+2 Dialogue on April 11, 2022. A Joint Statement was issued after the dialogue. Before the 2+2 Dialogue, Shri Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of Defence separately in Pentagon.

21-May-2018: US Pacific Command renamed as Indo-PACOM

The US military renamed its Pacific Command to US-Indo Pacific Command, underlining the growing connectivity between India and Pacific Oceans. The symbolic move came in recognition of the growing importance of the Indian Ocean in US strategic thinking.

Henceforth, the storied US Pacific Command, or PACOM, which was formed after World War II, will be known as the Indo-Pacific Command. Soon after coming to power, the Trump administration had renamed Asia Pacific as Indo-Pacific and identified India as one bookend of the region.

The latest announcement was made by the US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis during the change of guard ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbour wherein Admiral Phil Davidson replaced Admiral Harry Harris as Commander, US Indo-Pacific Command or IndoPacom.

In recognition of the increasing connectivity, the Indian and Pacific Oceans, today we rename the US Pacific Command to US Indo-Pacific Command. Over many decades, this command has repeatedly adapted to changing circumstance, and today carries that legacy forward as America focuses west,” Mattis said in his remarks on the occasion.

Referring to the 2018 National Defence Strategy which acknowledges Pacific challenges and signals America’s resolve and lasting commitment to the Indo-Pacific, Mattis said America’s vision is shared by most nations in the region.

“For every state, sovereignty is respected, no matter its size and it’s 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,” Mattis said in an apparent dig at China which is investing billions of dollars for its so called one belt one road initiative.

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 thrive for over 70 years.

“While we are prepared to face any who would seek to challenge America’s resolve, our National Defence Strategy is not a strategy of confrontation,” he said.

Mattis said the US will always be seeking peace from a position of strength. ”We will also continue further strengthening existing alliances and fostering new partnerships in the region, for these form a fundamental cornerstone of our strategic vision, a shared vision respectful of all nations sovereignty, and allowing us to reinforce a resilient security architecture capable of confronting shared threats, be they terrorism or an inhibition of free trade or humanitarian disasters that can befall any nation,” he said.

Observing that relationships with Pacific and Indian Ocean allies and partners have proven critical to maintaining regional stability, Mattis said the US stands by its partners and support their sovereign decisions, because all nations, large and small, are essential to the region if they are to sustain stability in ocean areas critical to global peace.