India seeks stronger BRICS partnerships to boost women entrepreneurs

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has called upon BRICS countries to work together to expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises in global trade, stressing the need for easier access to credit, markets and predictable business rules.Addressing the BRICS Women's Business Alliance (WBA) Women-Led Development Conference in New Delhi as the Chief Guest, Goyal said entrepreneurs seeking to enter international business need to overcome three key barriers — access to credit, access to buyers and markets, and predictable rules that support free trade and open opportunities.
He said India would seek to share the lessons learned from its experience in addressing challenges faced by entrepreneurs, particularly women entrepreneurs, with the BRICS Women's Business Alliance and the broader BRICS business community.Goyal highlighted India's efforts to empower women financially and socially through education, skill development and improved quality of life, with the aim of making women key drivers of the country's economic growth.
Highlighting India's progress in financial inclusion, the minister said that around 12 years ago, many women, particularly in rural areas, lacked bank accounts, assets in their own names and credit histories, which often prevented them from accessing loans.He said India has since taken several measures to strengthen women's financial participation, including registering houses in women's names, opening nearly 300 million bank accounts for women and providing collateral-free loans to those seeking to start their own enterprises, including women without a credit history.Goyal said such initiatives demonstrate how targeted financial and institutional support can help women overcome barriers to entrepreneurship and participate more actively in domestic and international trade.
The call for greater cooperation also found support from Brazil. Ana Claudia Badra Cotait, National President of Brazil’s Council of Women Entrepreneurs and Culture (CMEC), highlighted India’s growing strength in technology and innovation and urged Brazilian women entrepreneurs to understand and leverage these advancements. Speaking ahead of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, Cotait said BRICS offers significant opportunities to build stronger connections between Indian and Brazilian women entrepreneurs through technology, innovation and cross-border cooperation.

#WATCH | Delhi: On BRICS Summit, National President of Brazil's Council of Women Entrepreneurs Ana Claudia Badra Cotait says, "... The new work to do inside Brazil and India, principally with entrepreneurial women. I’m the president of CMEC in Brazil, and I have a big cooperation… pic.twitter.com/wBSpGjjR0e

— ANI (@ANI) September 10, 2026

(Business Correspondent)