OPINION: Trump, Greenland, and the Board of Peace: Why India Should Pay Attention

The world watches closely as US President Donald Trump, who marked the first anniversary of his second term on Tuesday, continues to revive his long-standing ambition over Greenland, while unveiling the members of his proposed 'Board of Peace' at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Although Washington's so-called strategic moves may appear geographically distant from New Delhi, they signal a deeper shift in the White House's approach to power, multilateralism, and global security, one that India cannot afford to ignore.

In the past year, since Trump started his second term, he has threatened a 500% tariff on countries buying Russian oil, captured Nicolás Maduro, the former leader of Venezuela, declared himself the acting President of Venezuela, and warned to wipe out Iran, among other things.

The President also claimed credit for halting eight conflicts between major powers, including tensions between India and Pakistan, asserting that the interventions merited a Nobel Peace Prize. Adding to the spectacle, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado publicly presented her Nobel Peace Prize medal to Trump, describing the gesture as 'selfless.' The Nobel Committee, however, was quick to clarify that while the physical medal may change hands, the Nobel Peace Prize itself is non-transferable, meaning Trump does not hold the title of laureate.

Shockingly, President Trump has ruled out any immediate move to forcibly acquire Greenland, although, given his track record, that stance could shift in the days or weeks ahead. At the same time, he formally unveiled the 'Board of Peace' with representatives from 19 countries in attendance. Interestingly, India was absent in the ceremony, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi being among the global leaders invited by Trump to join the initiative.

"Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. And we'll do it in conjunction with the United Nations," Trump said, adding that the U.N. had great potential that had not been fully utilised, according to a Reuters report.

Why India Should Pay Attention?

As the world's fourth-largest economy, widely expected to become the third-largest in the near future, India has remained unequivocal in its position on continuing imports of Russian oil, despite sustained pressure from Western nations to curtail purchases because, apparently, they indirectly support Russia's war effort in Ukraine.

That is despite the European Union and China buying larger amounts of oil and oil products from Russia.

With Trump now unveiling the 'Board of Peace,' India will be compelled to respond with caution and responsibility. The proposed structure centralises extraordinary authority in the hands of the US President, who assumes the role of 'inaugural Chairman' without any specified term limits, effectively granting him open-ended control. More significantly, the chairman is vested with final authority over the interpretation and application of the Board's charter, including sweeping veto powers over all decisions.

Historically, India has supported all credible efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region. However, the decision carries particular sensitivity given concerns over the Board's stability and neutrality under Trump's chairmanship, raising an inevitable dilemma for New Delhi.

For India, the challenge will be to engage without endorsing a framework that risks blurring the line between diplomacy and dominance.