Give to Gain: Women Driving India’s Progress

“India’s growth story will be written not only in GDP numbers, but in the expanding opportunities and leadership of its women.”

As the nation charts its course towards Viksit Bharat 2047, Indian women stand at the heart of this journey. Today, women are driving innovation, nurturing communities, and redefining the possibilities of development. Their contributions are not just additive, they are transformative. This International Women’s Day, under the theme ‘Give to Gain’, we celebrate the power of investing in women – when society gives women opportunities, support, and platforms to lead, the nation gains stronger economic growth, deeper social progress, and a resilient future.

Workforce Participation

Women are increasingly shaping the country’s economic future. Labour force participation among women aged 15 years and above rose to 35.3% in 2025, with notable growth in both rural and urban regions. Urban female unemployment declined to 9.1% in December 2025, reflecting the impact role of policy initiatives and formalisation of workforce, which have brought more women into active economic roles.

Beyond healthcare, women underpin broader social development. Whether in nutrition, sanitation, education, or rural development, they enable the resilience of communities. Investing in their capacity, safety, and well-being is, therefore, an investment in India’s social foundation itself.

Entrepreneurship and Women-Led MSMEs

Women-led MSMEs have emerged as key drivers of economic growth. The share of Women-owned proprietary establishments increased from 17.4% in 2010-11 to 26.2% in 2023-24, generating over 8.9 million additional jobs for women from 2021 to 2023 . Supported by Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises, which offers a 10% concession in annual guarantee fees and 90% guarantee coverage for women-owned MSMEs, female entrepreneurship is flourishing.

With over 70 central and 400 state-level schemes supporting women entrepreneurs, female self-employment grew from 31.9% in 2017-18 to 67.4% in 2023-24. The India Gender Budget for 2026-27, constituting 9.37% of the total budget (up from 8.86% in 2025-26), signals a paradigm shift from women’s development to women-led development, emphasising employability, entrepreneurship, and welfare.

Women Powering India’s Knowledge Economy

India’s ambitions in science, technology, and innovation cannot be achieved without the full participation of women. Today, women constitute higher education enrollments in STEM disciplines and 18.6% of the R&D workforce. In the semiconductor industry, a strategic growth fronties, women’s participation is projected to reach 35% by 2030.

India’s dominance in space science is another testament to women’s leadership. The success of Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1 missions featured women scientists in critical roles. Around 20% of the ISRO’s workforce comprises women, demonstrating their centrality to India’s technological.

As India invests in emerging domains such as AI, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, women’s participation in research and innovation will shape global competitiveness and national progress.

Women Strengthening India’s Social Foundations

At the community level, women are equally indispensable. Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA workers) form the backbone of primary healthcare, driving India’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts, improving maternal and child health, and monitoring disease in the remotest areas. Their contributions have been recognized globally, with the WHO honoring them as Global Health Leaders.

Beyond healthcare, women underpin broader social development. Whether in nutrition, sanitation, education, or rural development, they enable the resilience of communities. Investing in their capacity, safety, and wellbeing is therefore, an investment in India’s social foundation itself.

The Way Forward

As we move forward towards the India@100 vision, the next phase of progress must deepen women’s participation in leadership, innovation, and decision-making. Expanding access to quality employment, strengthening childcare and workplace support systems, enabling financial access for women entrepreneurs, and promoting women’s leadership in emerging sectors such as AI, semiconductors, and green technologies will be critical.

Equally important is building institutional ecosystems that allow women not only to participate but to influence national priorities in industry, governance, science, and public policy.

Ultimately, the story of India’s development will be incomplete without the full participation of its women. International Women’s Day is not just a moment to celebrate achievements; it is a call to reaffirm a collective commitment to invest in women’s potential, leadership, and aspirations.

When women get equal opportunities and meaningful platforms to grow, the entire nation benefits. Empowering women leads to stronger economic growth, accelerates social progress, and builds a more resilient and inclusive future for society.

In the journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047, empowering women is not merely a social priority, it is a strategic imperative.