India is the world’s fastest-growing major economy, and its macroeconomic progress is undeniable. Yet these headline gains mask persistent challenges. Currently, women contribute only about 18% to India’s GDP, with gender gaps—especially in urban labour markets—remaining stark. As the world’s most populous country, India carries significant untapped potential that, if mobilised, could substantially strengthen its growth trajectory.
The proposed programme seeks to develop a comprehensive, multi-sectoral blueprint—from agriculture to AI—to outline the pathways needed to build a gender-inclusive future of work. It would include sectors where women are currently employed in large numbers; sectors where women are an increasingly important workforce and future-facing sectors with transformative potential for women. This agenda is both essential and catalytic for advancing India@2047 vision.
Building on ICRIER’s ongoing work under the EPWD initiative, the programme moves beyond job creation to focus on enhancing workforce productivity, thereby supporting India’s broader structural transformation.
