PM Modi ranks 9th among world's most powerful people

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been ranked among the top 10 most powerful people in the world by Forbes. Mr Modi ranks 9th on the list of 74 topped by Russian President Vladimir Putin for a fourth straight year. 

Forbes said, India's populist Prime Minister remains hugely popular in his country of 1.3 billion people. It said, Mr Modi has raised his profile as a global leader in recent years during official visits with Barack Obama and Xi Jinping. 

Forbes said, he has also emerged as a key figure in the international effort to tackle climate change, as planetary warming will deeply affect millions of his country's rural and most



vulnerable citizens. It also took note of Mr Modi's demonetisation decision.

On Mr Putin, Forbes said, the Russian President has exerted his country's influence in nearly every corner of the globe, from the motherland to Syria to the US Presidential elections.

Second on the list is US President-elect Donald Trump who rose from number 72 last year. Outgoing US President Barack Obama dropped from number two to 48.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was third, followed by Chinese President Xi Jinping at fourth, and Pope Francis at fifth.Forbes said, there are nearly 7.4 billion people on Earth, but these 74 men and women make the world turn.