List of female Defence ministers - wikipedia List of female Defence ministers This article is an orphan, as no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles ; try the Find link tool for suggestions. ( July 2016 ) A Ministry of Defence or Defense ( see spelling differences ), also known as a Department of Defence or Defense, is the common name for a part of the government found in states where the government is divided into ministries or departments, responsible for matters of defence. The title Defence Minister, Minister for Defence, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State for Defence, Secretary of National Defense or some other titles, is assigned to the person in a cabinet position in charge of this particular ministry, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of Minister of Defence serves an integral part in a country 's military purposes. This role has traditionally been given to males as it 's related to military chain. But, in recent years many women have been given with this role and actually the first woman ever entitled to this job was the then - Prime Minister of Ceylon, Sirimavo Bandaranaike back in 1960s. This list shows group of women that are / were entitled with the title of Minister of Defence who is / was in charge in regulating the armed forces in their respective countries. List Denotes incumbent defence minister Italics denotes an acting defence minister and minister of non-sovereign state 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 7003328200000000000 ♠ 8 years, 360 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 7003202900000000000 ♠ 5 years, 203 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 7003176400000000000 ♠ 4 years, 303 days Raychelle Omamo Kenya Africa 2013 - 05 - 15 ! 15 May 2013 Incumbent 7003169200000000000 ♠ 4 years, 231 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 7003147600000000000 ♠ 4 years, 15 days Roberta Pinotti Italy Europe 2014 - 02 - 22 ! 22 February 2014 Incumbent 7003140900000000000 ♠ 3 years, 313 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 7003105500000000000 ♠ 2 years, 324 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 7002964000000000000 ♠ 2 years, 233 days Marise Payne Australia Oceania 2015 - 09 - 21 ! 21 September 2015 Incumbent 7002833000000000000 ♠ 2 years, 102 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 7002423000000000000 ♠ 1 year, 58 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 7002214000000000000 ♠ 214 days Florence Parly France Europe 2017 - 06 - 21 ! 21 June 2017 Incumbent 7002194000000000000 ♠ 194 days Nirmala Sitharaman India Asia 2017 - 09 - 03 ! 3 September 2017 Incumbent 7002120000000000000 ♠ 120 days Olta Xhaçka Albania Europe 2017 - 09 - 11 ! 11 September 2017 Incumbent 7002112000000000000 ♠ 112 days Marie - Noëlle Koyara Central African Republic Africa 2017 - 09 - 12 ! 12 September 2017 Incumbent 7002111000000000000 ♠ 111 days Ank Bijleveld Netherlands Europe 2017 - 10 - 26 ! 26 October 2017 Incumbent 7001670000000000000 ♠ 67 days Karla Šlechtová Czech Republic Europe 2017 - 12 - 13 ! 13 December 2017 Incumbent 7001190000000000000 ♠ 19 days See also Defence diplomacy Defence Minister List of current defence ministers Ministry of Defence External links Female Defence Ministers Rulers.org List of rulers throughout time and places Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_female_defence_ministers&oldid=817577911 '' Categories : Defence ministers Female defence ministers Government ministers by portfolio Lists of government ministers Lists of women government ministers Hidden categories : Orphaned articles from July 2016 All orphaned articles Talk About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 29 December 2017, at 07 : 53. 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Question: who is the first lady defense minister of india
Answer: Nirmala Sitharaman