Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been ranked among the top 10 most powerful people in the world by Forbes. The Forbes 2018 list of 75 of the World's Most Powerful People has been for the first time ever topped by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Modi ranks 9th on the list. "There are nearly 7.5 billion humans on planet Earth, but these 75 men and women make the world turn. Forbes' annual ranking of The World's Most Powerful People identifies one person out of every 100 million whose actions mean the most," Forbes said.

Modi ranks ahead of Facebook CEO Zuckerberg (ranked 13), UK President Theresa May (14), Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (15) and Apple CEO Tim Cook (24). Reliance Industries' Mukesh Ambani is the only other Indian to make it to the power list and ranks 32nd.

Forbes said, "Modi has raised his profile as a global leader in recent years during official visits with US President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. He has also emerged as a key figure in the international effort to tackle climate change, as warming affects millions of his country's rural citizens." Also it cited Modi government's demonetisation decision of November 2016 that led to the scraping of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 banknotes as a fight against corruption and money laundering activities.

China's Jinping for the first time ever dethroned Putin after the nation's Congress made an amendment to its constitution in March, thus broadening his influence and reducing term limits. For four consecutive years, the position as the most influential person on the planet remained with Russian President Vladimir Putin who now ranks 2nd.

Among the top five, Donald Trump ranks 3rd to be followed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

In the list are included 17 new names, Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud (8), the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell (11), Forbes said. Other new members include U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell (11), Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods (34), President of South Korea Moon Jae-in (54) and Special Counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice Robert Mueller (72).

"This year's list highlights the consolidation of power in the hands of an elite few," Forbes said.

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