India’s contribution to BRICS: Nari Shakti moves from promise to delivery

Source: The New Indian Express | Original Published At: 2026-06-29 02:48:16 UTC

Key Points

• India assumed BRICS Chairship on January 1, 2026 under the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'
• India's women-led development model rests on three components: Digital Public Infrastructure for reach, Self-Help Groups for institutions, and structured mobility from beneficiary to entrepreneur
• Over 10.05 crore rural women organized into 90.90 lakh Self-Help Groups under DAY-NRLM, the largest network of women-led community institutions globally
• Female labour force participation rose from 23.3% (2017-18) to 41.7% (2023-24), with female unemployment falling from 5.6% to 3.2%
• 1.48 crore SHG women reached annual income of at least ₹1 lakh by June 2025 under Lakhpati Didi initiative
• Women's track identified four priority areas including women's role in climate action, food security, and nutrition
• India will present this architecture at the BRICS Ministerial meeting in Kochi in July 2026 as a contribution for partners to adapt