Forbes World's Most Powerful Women: Check where Nirmala Sitharaman, Roshni Nadar and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw rank

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Biocon Founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and HCL Enterprise CEO Roshni Nadar Malhotra are among Indian women who have found a spot on the Forbes list of world's 100 Most Powerful Women.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel topped the list for the 10th year in a row. US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has also made it on the list.

FM Sitharaman is ranked 41st on the list, Nadar Malhotra comes in at the 55th spot, Mazumdar-Shaw -- described as India's richest self-made woman -- is ranked 68th and chairwoman of Landmark Group Renuka Jagtiani is ranked 98th.

The women on the 17th annual Forbes Power List hail from 30 countries. "There are 10 heads of state, 38 CEOs and five entertainers among them. But where they differ in age, nationality and job description, they are united in the ways they have been using their platforms to address the unique challenges of 2020," Forbes said.

Merkel ranks No. 1 for the tenth year in a row. Merkel remains the de-facto leader of Europe, leading the region's largest economy after steering Germany through financial crisis and back to growth.

"Her leadership is marked by her steely reserve, from standing up to Donald Trump to allowing more than a million Syrian refugees into Germany, Forbes said," adding the big question that the public is now asking is who and what will come after Merkel's time in office comes to an end.

Harris, who became the first woman, first Black American and first Asian American to be elected vice president is ranked third on the list. Harris's rapid ascension in US politics has catapulted her onto the Forbes list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women for the first time.

European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde is ranked second for the second straight year.

"From fighting the pandemic to re-engineering American politics, these influential women, including New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams, are making history," Forbes said.

The list also includes Co-Chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda Gates (5), US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (7), Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg (22), Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (39), UK's Queen Elizabeth II (46), celebrated artistes Rihana (69) and Beyonce (72).

Several of this year's Power Women received "global plaudits" for their effective responses to COVID-19.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (No. 32) vanquished a first and second wave of the virus in her country by implementing strict lockdown and quarantine procedures.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen (No. 37) implemented a rigorous contact-tracing program in January, as a result, to date, the island of 23 million people has lost only seven lives to the virus, Forbes said.

There are 17 newcomers on this year's list, illustrating that women are leading all aspects of a society transformed by a global pandemic.