Archive · 10 Sep 2026
Piyush Goyal Urges BRICS to Expand Women Entrepreneurs’ Opportunities
Piyush Goyal asked BRICS countries to help more women start and grow businesses.
He said women need easier access to loans, customers and fair business rules.
India wants to share what it has learned about supporting women entrepreneurs.
About 100 million rural Indian women are part of self-help groups or similar organizations.
More than 30 million women reportedly earn over Rs.
1 lakh in personal income.
These women are called ‘Lakhpati Didis’.
Goyal said helping women become financially independent can strengthen India’s economy.
He also said a proposed common BRICS trade platform could help women reach more buyers.
Piyush Goyal urged BRICS countries to expand international trade opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
He identified access to credit, buyers and markets, and predictable business rules as key challenges.
Goyal said about 100 million rural women belong to nine million self-help groups, cooperatives or women-led enterprises in India.
He said more than 30 million women earn over Rs. 1 lakh in personal income and are known as ‘Lakhpati Didis’.
India has provided about 560 million small-business loans, with more than 68 per cent going to women entrepreneurs.
- Who
- Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and representatives of BRICS countries.
- What
- Goyal called for expanded opportunities for women entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises in international trade.
- When
- Wednesday.
- Where
- At the BRICS WBA Women-Led Development Conference organised by FICCI; the city is not specified.
- Why
- To improve women entrepreneurs’ access to credit, markets, buyers and predictable business rules.
- Rural women participants
- Around 100 million rural women are members of nine million self-help groups, cooperatives or women-led groups.
- Lakhpati Didis
- More than 30 million women reportedly earn over Rs. 1 lakh in personal income.
- Small-business loans
- India has provided around 560 million loans to small entrepreneurs.
- Loans to women
- More than 68 per cent of those loans went to women entrepreneurs.
- Female workforce participation
- Goyal said India’s female workforce participation was around 19 per cent about a decade ago.
- Future target
- Goyal expressed confidence that female workforce participation could reach 50 per cent or more.
- Proposed trade platform
- BRICS countries agreed in the Jaipur Consensus to explore a common platform for international trade.