BRICS Nations Urged to Turn Women‑Led Enterprises into Economic Engines

During a gathering in New Delhi on September 13, the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance and the BRICS Business Council emphasized that women‑owned firms can become a driving force for the bloc’s growth.

WBA president Avarna Jain pointed out that women in BRICS countries are already establishing businesses, creating jobs and advancing technology. She argued that the next milestone is to shift the focus from participation to leadership, enabling women to expand from micro‑enterprises to major market players.

Jain’s agenda includes building an enabling environment for female founders, expanding credit and innovation pathways, leveraging women‑centric solutions to boost economic flexibility, and scaling successful models across all member economies. She applauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to placing "women‑led development" at the heart of India’s agenda, suggesting it could serve as a beacon for the entire group.

Jay Shroff, leading the BRICS Business Council, stressed the importance of harnessing the bloc’s collective strengths – large markets, abundant resources and technological expertise – through greater trade, investment, shared tech and fortified value chains.

Shroff’s recommendations mirror the four pillars identified in the Indian‑presided 2026 report: resilience, innovation, collaboration and sustainability. Both organisations concluded that without heightened private‑sector involvement, expanded cross‑border trade and focused support for MSMEs and women entrepreneurs, the full economic promise of BRICS will remain untapped.