Prime Minister Narendra Modi was ranked ninth in Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful people in 2015. Modi moved up six spots from the 2014 ranking and made it into the top 10 for the first time. Forbes said that governing 1.2 billion people in India requires more than "shaking hands". It added that Modi must pass the Bharatiya Janata Party's reform agenda and keep the "fractious opposition" under control.

The top spot was taken by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the third consecutive time. German Chancellor Angela Merkel moved up three spots from last year to number two, followed by US President Barack Obama, who dropped one position. Pope Francis and Chinese President Xi Jinping rounded up the top five. Reliance Industries managing director Mukesh Ambani was the only other Indian in the top 50.