TIME 100 Influential People 2025: Narendra Modi Excluded Despite Global Influence, Yunus and Musk Included

TIME Magazine has unveiled its 2025 TIME 100 list, honoring 100 of the most influential individuals driving global discussions. This year’s edition is not only notable for its multicultural blend of leaders, thinkers, and celebrities, but also for a shocking omission—no Indian is among the recipients.

Narendra Modi Missing from TIME 100 List

One of the most talked-about omissions from the 2025 TIME 100 list is that of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Known for his strong global presence, strategic diplomacy, and influential leadership of the world’s largest democracy, Modi has previously been a regular feature on TIME’s annual list. His exclusion this year has sparked curiosity and debate, especially given India’s increasing prominence on the world stage through its economic growth, technological advancements, and diplomatic initiatives. The absence of Modi, along with the complete lack of Indian representation, marks a rare departure from precedent and raises questions about the shifting global narratives and the evolving criteria of influence recognized by TIME in 2025.

Global Icons Take Center Stage on TIME 100

The 2025 TIME100 list debuts with five global covers, each featuring a leading figure from the roster:

• Actor and producer Demi Moore
• Artist and businessperson Snoop Dogg
• Businesswoman and former tennis pro Serena Williams
• Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran
• Google DeepMind co-founder and CEO Demis Hassabis

Only 22 years old, Olympic swimmer Léon Marchand is the youngest individual featured in this year’s list, while 84-year-old Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is the oldest.

Familiar Faces Dominate the Rankings

Among the most frequent names on the TIME100 list is Donald Trump, the former US President, who has made an appearance for the seventh time, more than any other person this year. Close to him are six appearances by Elon Musk and five by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Other frequent repeat entries include:

Serena Williams (3)
Lorne Michaels (3)
Simone Biles (3)
Kristen Wiig (2)
Ed Sheeran (2)
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (2)
Demis Hassabis (2)
Scarlett Johansson (2)
Megyn Kelly (2)
Blake Lively (2)
Javier Milei (2)
Miuccia Prada (2)
Joe Rogan (2)
Ted Sarandos (2)

Leaders and Political Heavyweights in the Limelight

The ‘Leaders’ category of the TIME100 features a roster of world policymakers and influencers, including:

Donald Trump
Elon Musk
D. Vance
Claudia Sheinbaum
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Javier Milei
Keir Starmer
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
María Corina Machado
Friedrich Merz
Duma Boko
Teresa Ribera
Howard Lutnick
Russell Vought
Ahmed al-Sharaa
Lee Jae-myung
Muhammad Yunus

One such is Reshma Kewalramani, the Indian-origin CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Kewalramani, while not Indian by citizenship, has a link to India by origin.

Reshma Kewalramani: The Indian-Origin Pioneer

TIME featured Reshma Kewalramani, who moved to the US from India at the age of 11, in the ‘Leaders’ section. She is the first female to helm a large, publicly held US biotech company.

In a profile by author Jason Kelly, Kewalramani’s visionary leadership was highly praised.

“Reshma sat on my board at Ginkgo Bioworks, and her insights proved invaluable: she knows how to effectively push the limits of science while navigating the drug-approval process. She told us that when you are doing something innovative, if it sounds crazy or impossible, that’s OK—it’s only because no one has done it before.”

“Under her leadership, Vertex secured the first-ever FDA approval for a CRISPR-based therapy, which treats sickle cell disease by correcting patients’ DNA mutations. Our bodies speak the language of DNA. Our best drugs in the future will use DNA to talk directly back to our bodies, leading to many more cures. Reshma is the kind of leader who can deliver that extraordinary future—it only seems crazy because no one’s done it before.”

A Rare Lack of Indian Representation

The most glaring thing about the 2025 TIME100 list is the total lack of Indian nationals. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has also appeared in the list before, failed to qualify this year. This is an unusual departure from previous years, when high-profile Indians such as actor Alia Bhatt and wrestler Sakshi Malik at the Olympics were included in 2024.

Even as India’s influence grows internationally, TIME’s editorial choice to leave out any Indian individual has raised eyebrows and questions, particularly considering the country’s steady inclusion in previous editions.

As TIME’s yearly list continues to shape public opinion and highlight world change-makers, leaving out Indian voices in 2025 is a harsh reminder of the constantly changing dynamics of influence on the international stage.