Dr. Bipandeep Sharma, Research Analyst, Non-Traditional Security Centre, delivered a presentation on “The Question of Greenland in Arctic Geopolitics” at the Monday Morning Meeting held on 16 February 2026. The meeting was moderated by Dr. Uttam Kumar Sinha, Senior Fellow at MP-IDSA. Ambassador Sujan R. Chinoy, Director General, MP-IDSA, participated in the discussion along with other scholars.

Executive Summary

The presentation examined the rapidly evolving strategic landscape of the Arctic, with Greenland as a focal point of great power competition. It explored the evolution of Greenland as a central theatre for geopolitical maneuver involving the United States, China, Russia and the European Union. The presentation provided a detailed analysis of the historical, military and economic dimensions defining great power competition in the High North. The land holds 25 out of 34 minerals classified as “critical raw materials” highlighting the resource potential which plays a crucial role in renewed interest in Greenland. The repeated acquisition attempts by United States reflect that Greenland has long been a subject of U.S. interest, contributing to contemporary geopolitical tensions in the Arctic region.

Detailed Report

Dr. Uttam Kumar Sinha opened the session by highlighting the significance and intersection of Geopolitics, Geoeconomics and Geophysics in explaining the entire Arctic region. Dr. Bipandeep Sharma commenced his presentation by contextualising the history of Greenland, underlining the strategic as well as economic importance of Greenland, particularly to United States. He emphasised that the idea of buying or annexing Greenland is not new but can be traced back to the Report on Resources of both Iceland and Greenland compiled by US mining engineer, Benjamin Mills Peirce in 1867. Dr. Sharma mentioned that the U.S. first proposed buying Greenland in 1867 following the purchase of Alaska. The land swap proposal in 1910 involving the Philippine Island, suggested by U.S. to Denmark, marks the second attempt toward acquisition of Greenland. The third development regarding Greenland occurred in 1940, when Germany invaded Denmark, and a subsequent breakdown in relations between Copenhagen and the Danish authorities in Greenland ensued. Fearing German invasion of Denmark as a direct threat to Greenland, Danish authorities in Greenland in May 1940 requested American protection. Acting in accordance with the Monroe Doctrine and the Act of Habana, the United States established a consulate in Nuuk, sent its Coast Guard ships, and made Greenland a de facto US protectorate. Dr. Sharma highlighted that the US made several more attempts to acquire Greenland, particularly in 1946 through a formal offer by President Truman proposing US$ 100 million of gold. In 1955, the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommended to President Eisenhower to reconsider purchasing Greenland. However, both the proposals were rejected by Denmark.

Dr. Sharma underscored the strategic importance of Greenland by discussing major facts about the country. He pointed out that as an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland receives a substantial budget from Denmark, covering about two-thirds of its budget. Dr. Sharma also traced the strategic significance of Greenland in Western defense architecture. He highlighted that during the Cold War period, United States constructed a complex network of radars and the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line was established to detect any Soviet attack on the U.S. Dr. Sharma mentioned that the modern North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) capabilities reflect the advanced system of radars providing early warning systems and sense of security to the NATO alliance through strategic infrastructure. The Speaker also highlighted key aspects of the US planned ‘Golden Dome’ project and pointed out that Greenland’s Pittufik Space Base would serve as the command and control node. The Speaker also assessed the current debate regarding “GIUK Gap” (Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom), a vital naval choke point for NATO to counter Russian submarine activity. He emphasised it as a contested maritime space where both Russia and western states compete for gaining strategic domination.

Dr. Sharma further noted the resource potential of Greenland as another driver of the renewed interest in Greenland. He highlighted Greenland’s Tanbreez and Kvanefjeld mineral deposits. Dr. Sharma pointed out that these deposits contain rare earth elements essential for the development of advanced military weapon systems such as hypersonic glide weapons which contribute in making them crucial for the U.S., in terms of realigning supply chains of critical minerals. Dr. Sharma argued that despite this optimism regarding Greenland’s resources, extraction of these resources faces domestic hurdles.

The Speaker in the final part of his presentation discussed the claims and assertions made by President Trump regarding rival powers. Dr. Sharma further elaborated on the contemporary geopolitical tensions in the region as a result of EU’s solidarity with Denmark. He highlighted that eight westerns states in total hold over US$ 1.7 trillion in US treasuries, most of which is held in pension funds. Clear signals of state sell-offs of these Treasury Bonds became one of the most significant factors in Trump’s reversal of his tariff decision. The Speaker concluded his presentation by presenting a hypothetical scenario of U.S. aspirations to attain sovereignty over Greenland which according to him will further complicate the geopolitics in the High North. The region is now characterised by great power rivalry with high militarisation and visible signs of doubt in the credibility of NATO as an effective alliance.

In his closing remarks, Dr. Uttam Kumar Sinha raised several issues, including whether Greenland represents a return to classical geopolitics, the resilience of existing governments and institutional mechanisms and what kind of different governments will be emerging amidst rising competition in power politics. He invited the audience to reflect on what Greenland reveal’s about the broader idea of global power distribution.

Questions and Comments

Ambassador Sujan R. Chinoy, Director General, MP-IDSA, reflected on sovereignty within a post-Westphalian framework and emphasised Greenland’s unique convergence of economic, strategic, and security interests. He also drew attention to anti-colonial sentiments in the Global South, where Greenland’s territorial status is sometimes viewed through the lens of colonial legacy and the principles of self-determination under the United Nations framework.

Dr. Adil Rasheed, Research Fellow, asked questions regarding the provision of autonomy to Greenland by Denmark and the present status of the people of Greenland, concerning Danish sovereignty over it. He also enquired about the political dynamics surrounding the Golden Dome. Dr. Sharma emphasised on the fact that public opinion is highly divided regarding autonomy and independence of Greenland from Denmark. On the issue of Golden Dome, Dr. Sharma mentioned that though the US approach towards Greenland has been currently downplayed by Putin, it remains a source of concern for Moscow.

Dr. Rajorshi Roy, Research Fellow, enquired about the future of the Arctic Council and Russia’s participation in the Council. Dr. Sharma replied that the Arctic Council has been suspended since 2022 following Russia’s launch of military action in Ukraine. He noted that the Council was non-functional during Russia’s Presidency of the Council.

Dr. Uttam Kumar Sinha closed the discussion by stating that the Arctic is witnessing a breakdown of “Arctic Exceptionalism” where power dictates the outcomes. Security in the Arctic presents a multilevel dynamic processes.

Report prepared by Ms. Warisha Wasi, Research Intern, West Asia Centre, MP-IDSA, New Delhi.