Name Image Country Continent Mandate start Mandate end Term length Sirimavo Bandaranaike Ceylon Asia 1960 - 07 - 21! 21 July 1960 1965 - 03 - 25! 25 March 1965 7003170800000000000 ♠ 4 years, 247 days Sirimavo Bandaranaike Ceylon / Sri Lanka Asia 1970 - 05 - 29! 29 May 1970 1977 - 07 - 23! 23 July 1977 7003261200000000000 ♠ 7 years, 55 days Indira Gandhi India Asia 1975 - 11 - 30! 30 November 1975 1975 - 12 - 20! 20 December 1975 7001200000000000000 ♠ 20 days Indira Gandhi India Asia 1980 - 01 - 14! 14 January 1980 1982 - 01 - 15! 15 January 1982 7002732000000000000 ♠ 2 years, 1 day Dame Eugenia Charles Dominica America 1985 - 01 - 01! 1985 1990 - 01 - 01! 1990 7003182600000000000 ♠ 5 years, 0 days Benazir Bhutto Pakistan Asia 1988 - 12 - 04! 4 December 1988 1990 - 08 - 06! 6 August 1990 7002610000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 245 days Violeta Chamorro Nicaragua America 1990 - 04 - 25! 25 April 1990 1997 - 01 - 10! 10 January 1997 7003245200000000000 ♠ 6 years, 260 days Elisabeth Rehn Finland Europe 1990 - 06 - 13! 13 June 1990 1995 - 01 - 01! 1 January 1995 7003166300000000000 ♠ 4 years, 202 days Khaleda Zia Bangladesh Asia 1991 - 02 - 27! 27 February 1991 1996 - 03 - 30! 30 March 1996 7003185800000000000 ♠ 5 years, 32 days Kim Campbell Canada America 1993 - 01 - 04! 4 January 1993 1993 - 06 - 25! 25 June 1993 7002172000000000000 ♠ 172 days Chandrika Kumaratunga Sri Lanka Asia 1994 - 11 - 14! 14 November 1994 2001 - 12 - 12! 12 December 2001 7003258500000000000 ♠ 7 years, 28 days Anneli Taina Finland Europe 1995 - 04 - 13! 13 April 1995 1999 - 04 - 15! 15 April 1999 7003146300000000000 ♠ 4 years, 2 days Sheikh Hasina Bangladesh Asia 1996 - 06 - 12! 12 June 1996 2001 - 07 - 15! 15 July 2001 7003185900000000000 ♠ 5 years, 33 days Regina Ip Hong Kong Asia 1998 - 08 - 31! 31 August 1998 2003 - 07 - 25! 25 July 2003 7003178900000000000 ♠ 4 years, 328 days Eldbjørg Løwer Norway Europe 1999 - 03 - 15! 15 March 1999 2000 - 03 - 10! 10 March 2000 7002361000000000000 ♠ 361 days Joice Mujuru Zimbabwe Africa 2001 - 06 - 08! 8 June 2001 2001 - 08 - 08! 8 August 2001 7001610000000000000 ♠ 61 days Khaleda Zia Bangladesh Asia 2001 - 10 - 01! 1 October 2001 2006 - 10 - 29! 29 October 2006 7003185400000000000 ♠ 5 years, 28 days Kristin Krohn Devold Norway Europe 2001 - 10 - 19! 19 October 2001 2005 - 10 - 17! 17 October 2005 7003145900000000000 ♠ 3 years, 363 days Michelle Bachelet Chile America 2002 - 01 - 07! 7 January 2002 2004 - 10 - 01! 1 October 2004 7002998000000000000 ♠ 2 years, 268 days Cynthia Pratt Bahamas America 2002 - 05 - 07! 7 May 2002 2007 - 05 - 04! 4 May 2007 7003182300000000000 ♠ 4 years, 362 days Michèle Alliot - Marie France Europe 2002 - 05 - 07! 7 May 2002 2007 - 05 - 18! 18 May 2007 7003183700000000000 ♠ 5 years, 11 days Željka Antunović Croatia Europe 2002 - 07 - 30! 30 July 2002 2003 - 12 - 23! 23 December 2003 7002511000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 146 days Marta Lucía Ramírez Colombia America 2002 - 08 - 07! 7 August 2002 2003 - 11 - 09! 9 November 2003 7002459000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 94 days Lena Hjelm - Wallén Sweden Europe 2002 - 09 - 30! 30 September 2002 2002 - 10 - 22! 22 October 2002 7001220000000000000 ♠ 22 days Mame Madior Boye Senegal Africa 2002 - 10 - 02! 2 October 2002 2002 - 11 - 04! 4 November 2002 7001330000000000000 ♠ 33 days Leni Björklund Sweden Europe 2002 - 11 - 04! 4 November 2002 2006 - 10 - 06! 6 October 2006 7003143200000000000 ♠ 3 years, 336 days Sylvia Flores Belize America 2003 - 03 - 05! 5 March 2003 2004 - 01 - 05! 5 January 2004 7002306000000000000 ♠ 306 days Filomenha Mascarenhas Tipote Guinea - Bissau Africa 2003 - 04 - 23! 23 April 2003 2004 - 05 - 12! 12 May 2004 7002385000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 19 days Gloria Macapagal - Arroyo Philippines Asia 2003 - 09 - 01! 1 September 2003 2003 - 10 - 02! 2 October 2003 7001310000000000000 ♠ 31 days Azucena Berrutti Uruguay America 2005 - 03 - 01! 1 March 2005 2008 - 03 - 03! 3 March 2008 7003109800000000000 ♠ 3 years, 2 days Anne - Grete Strøm - Erichsen Norway Europe 2005 - 10 - 17! 17 October 2005 2009 - 10 - 20! 20 October 2009 7003146400000000000 ♠ 4 years, 3 days Nilda Garré Argentina America 2005 - 11 - 28! 28 November 2005 2010 - 12 - 15! 15 December 2010 7003184300000000000 ♠ 5 years, 17 days Solvita Āboltiņa Latvia Europe 2005 - 12 - 23! 23 December 2005 2006 - 01 - 05! 5 January 2006 7001130000000000000 ♠ 13 days Linda Abu Meri Latvia Europe 2006 - 01 - 05! 5 January 2006 2006 - 04 - 07! 7 April 2006 7001920000000000000 ♠ 92 days Cristina Fontes Lima Cape Verde Africa 2006 - 03 - 08! 8 March 2006 2011 - 03 - 21! 21 March 2011 7003183900000000000 ♠ 5 years, 13 days Vivianne Blanlot Chile America 2006 - 03 - 11! 11 March 2006 2007 - 03 - 27! 27 March 2007 7002381000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 16 days Portia Simpson - Miller Jamaica America 2006 - 03 - 30! 30 March 2006 2007 - 09 - 11! 11 September 2007 7002530000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 165 days Gloria Macapagal - Arroyo Philippines Asia 2006 - 11 - 30! 30 November 2006 2007 - 02 - 01! 1 February 2007 7001630000000000000 ♠ 63 days Vlasta Parkanová Czech Republic Europe 2007 - 01 - 09! 9 January 2007 2009 - 05 - 08! 8 May 2009 7002119000000000000 ♠ 119 days Guadalupe Larriva Ecuador America 2007 - 01 - 15! 15 January 2007 2007 - 01 - 24! 24 January 2007 7000900000000000000 ♠ 9 days Lorena Escudero Ecuador America 2007 - 02 - 02! 2 February 2007 2007 - 08 - 30! 30 August 2007 7002209000000000000 ♠ 209 days Ruth Tapia Roa Nicaragua America 2007 - 05 - 16! 16 May 2007 2012 - 05 - 14! 14 May 2012 7003182500000000000 ♠ 4 years, 364 days Yuriko Koike Japan Asia 2007 - 07 - 04! 4 July 2007 2007 - 08 - 27! 27 August 2007 7001540000000000000 ♠ 54 days Cécile Manorohanta Madagascar Africa 2007 - 10 - 27! 27 October 2007 2009 - 02 - 09! 9 February 2009 7002471000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 105 days Carme Chacón Spain Europe 2008 - 04 - 14! 14 April 2008 2008 - 05 - 20! 20 May 2008 7001360000000000000 ♠ 36 days Elsa Teixeira Pinto São Tomé and Príncipe Africa 2008 - 06 - 22! 22 June 2008 2010 - 08 - 14! 14 August 2010 7002783000000000000 ♠ 2 years, 53 days Carme Chacón Spain Europe 2008 - 06 - 30! 30 June 2008 2011 - 12 - 22! 22 December 2011 7003127000000000000 ♠ 3 years, 175 days Ljubica Jelušič Slovenia Europe 2008 - 11 - 21! 21 November 2008 2012 - 02 - 10! 10 February 2012 7003117600000000000 ♠ 3 years, 81 days Rasa Juknevičienė Lithuania Europe 2008 - 12 - 09! 9 December 2008 2012 - 12 - 13! 13 December 2012 7003110000000000000 ♠ 3 years, 4 days Sheikh Hasina Bangladesh Asia 2009 - 01 - 06! 6 January 2009 Incumbent 7003339000000000000 ♠ 9 years, 103 days Lindiwe Sisulu South Africa Africa 2009 - 05 - 10! 10 May 2009 2012 - 06 - 12! 12 June 2012 7003112900000000000 ♠ 3 years, 33 days Bidhya Devi Bhandari Nepal Asia 2009 - 05 - 25! 25 May 2009 2011 - 02 - 06! 6 February 2011 7002622000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 257 days Angélique Ngoma Gabon Africa 2009 - 10 - 17! 17 October 2009 2011 - 01 - 14! 14 January 2011 7002454000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 89 days Grete Faremo Norway Europe 2009 - 10 - 20! 20 October 2009 2011 - 11 - 11! 11 November 2011 7002752000000000000 ♠ 2 years, 22 days Gitte Lillelund Bech Denmark Europe 2010 - 02 - 23! 23 February 2010 2011 - 10 - 03! 3 October 2011 7002587000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 222 days Lesego Motsumi Botswana Africa 2010 - 08 - 30! 30 August 2010 2011 - 02 - 07! 7 February 2011 7002161000000000000 ♠ 161 days María Cecilia Chacón Bolivia America 2011 - 04 - 06! 6 April 2011 2011 - 09 - 26! 26 September 2011 7002173000000000000 ♠ 173 days Iveta Radičová Slovakia Europe 2011 - 11 - 28! 28 November 2011 2012 - 04 - 04! 4 April 2012 7002128000000000000 ♠ 128 days Portia Simpson - Miller Jamaica America 2012 - 01 - 05! 5 January 2012 2016 - 03 - 03! 3 March 2016 7003151900000000000 ♠ 4 years, 58 days Milica Pejanović - Đurišić Montenegro Europe 2012 - 03 - 13! 13 March 2012 2016 - 11 - 28! 28 November 2016 7003172100000000000 ♠ 4 years, 260 days Catharina Elmsäter - Svärd Sweden Europe 2012 - 03 - 29! 29 March 2012 2012 - 04 - 18! 18 April 2012 7001200000000000000 ♠ 20 days Karin Enström Sweden Europe 2012 - 04 - 18! 18 April 2012 2014 - 10 - 03! 3 October 2014 7002898000000000000 ♠ 2 years, 168 days Maritza Pastora Membreño Morales Nicaragua America 2012 - 05 - 14! 14 May 2012 2013 - 03 - 04! 4 March 2013 7002294000000000000 ♠ 294 days Nosiviwe Mapisa - Nqakula South Africa Africa 2012 - 06 - 12! 12 June 2012 Incumbent 7003213700000000000 ♠ 5 years, 311 days María Liz García de Arnold Paraguay America 2012 - 06 - 25! 25 June 2012 2013 - 08 - 15! 15 August 2013 7002416000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 51 days Olusola Obada Nigeria Africa 2012 - 06 - 22! 22 June 2012 2013 - 09 - 11! 11 September 2013 7002446000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 81 days Anne - Grete Strøm - Erichsen Norway Europe 2012 - 09 - 21! 21 September 2012 2013 - 10 - 16! 16 October 2013 7002390000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 25 days Jeanine Hennis - Plasschaert Netherlands Europe 2012 - 11 - 05! 5 November 2012 2017 - 10 - 03! 3 October 2017 7003179300000000000 ♠ 4 years, 332 days María Fernanda Espinosa Ecuador America 2012 - 11 - 28! 28 November 2012 2014 - 09 - 23! 23 September 2014 7002664000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 299 days Karolína Peake Czech Republic Europe 2012 - 12 - 12! 12 December 2012 2012 - 12 - 20! 20 December 2012 7000800000000000000 ♠ 8 days Martha Elena Ruiz Sevilla Nicaragua America 2013 - 03 - 04! 4 March 2013 Incumbent 7003187200000000000 ♠ 5 years, 46 days Raychelle Omamo Kenya Africa 2013 - 05 - 15! 15 May 2013 Incumbent 7003180000000000000 ♠ 4 years, 339 days Yingluck Shinawatra Thailand Asia 2013 - 06 - 30! 30 June 2013 2014 - 05 - 07! 7 May 2014 7002311000000000000 ♠ 311 days Carmen Meléndez Venezuela America 2013 - 07 - 05! 5 July 2013 2014 - 10 - 25! 25 October 2014 7002477000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 112 days Mimi Kodheli Albania Europe 2013 - 09 - 15! 15 September 2013 2017 - 09 - 11! 11 September 2017 7003145700000000000 ♠ 3 years, 361 days Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide Norway Europe 2013 - 10 - 16! 16 October 2013 2017 - 10 - 20! 20 October 2017 7003146500000000000 ♠ 4 years, 4 days Ursula von der Leyen Germany Europe 2013 - 12 - 17! 17 December 2013 Incumbent 7003158400000000000 ♠ 4 years, 123 days Roberta Pinotti Italy Europe 2014 - 02 - 22! 22 February 2014 Incumbent 7003151700000000000 ♠ 4 years, 56 days Cadi Mané Guinea - Bissau Africa 2014 - 07 - 04! 4 July 2014 2015 - 10 - 13! 13 October 2015 7002466000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 101 days Marie - Noëlle Koyara Central African Republic Africa 2015 - 01 - 17! 17 January 2015 2015 - 10 - 29! 29 October 2015 7002286000000000000 ♠ 286 days Marina Pendeš Bosnia and Herzegovina Europe 2015 - 02 - 11! 11 February 2015 Incumbent 7003116300000000000 ♠ 3 years, 67 days Tina Khidasheli Georgia Asia 2015 - 05 - 01! 1 May 2015 2016 - 07 - 30! 30 July 2016 7002456000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 90 days Andreja Katič Slovenia Europe 2015 - 05 - 13! 13 May 2015 Incumbent 7003107200000000000 ♠ 2 years, 341 days Marise Payne Australia Oceania 2015 - 09 - 21! 21 September 2015 Incumbent 7002941000000000000 ♠ 2 years, 210 days Adiato Djaló Nandigna Guinea - Bissau Africa 2015 - 10 - 13! 13 October 2015 2016 - 06 - 02! 2 June 2016 7002233000000000000 ♠ 233 days Tomomi Inada Japan Asia 2016 - 08 - 03! 3 August 2016 2017 - 07 - 28! 28 July 2017 7002359000000000000 ♠ 359 days María Dolores de Cospedal Spain Europe 2016 - 11 - 04! 4 November 2016 Incumbent 7002531000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 166 days Sylvie Goulard France Europe 2017 - 05 - 17! 17 May 2017 2017 - 06 - 19! 19 June 2017 7001330000000000000 ♠ 33 days Radmila Šekerinska Macedonia, Republic of Europe 2017 - 06 - 01! 1 June 2017 Incumbent 7002322000000000000 ♠ 322 days Florence Parly France Europe 2017 - 06 - 21! 21 June 2017 Incumbent 7002302000000000000 ♠ 302 days Nirmala Sitharaman India Asia 2017 - 09 - 03! 3 September 2017 Incumbent 7002228000000000000 ♠ 228 days Olta Xhaçka Albania Europe 2017 - 09 - 11! 11 September 2017 Incumbent 7002220000000000000 ♠ 220 days Marie - Noëlle Koyara Central African Republic Africa 2017 - 09 - 12! 12 September 2017 Incumbent 7002219000000000000 ♠ 219 days Ank Bijleveld Netherlands Europe 2017 - 10 - 26! 26 October 2017 Incumbent 7002175000000000000 ♠ 175 days Karla Šlechtová Czech Republic Europe 2017 - 12 - 13! 13 December 2017 Incumbent 7002127000000000000 ♠ 127 days
who is the woman defence minister of india
Nirmala Sitharaman