Brics Women’s Business Alliance urges supply chain access and scale for women-led entrepreneurship
BRICS Women’s Business Alliance Calls for Growth Support
Theindiapostdaily.com – The BRICS Women’s Business Alliance has called for stronger supply-chain access, procurement opportunities, financing and digital tools to help women-led businesses grow across BRICS markets. The recommendations were presented during the BRICS Leadership Summit in New Delhi.
India hosted leaders from the 11 BRICS member countries and representatives of partner nations during its presidency. The alliance submitted its 2026 annual report to heads of state at the two-day summit, which concluded on Sunday.
The BRICS Women’s Business Alliance said women’s entrepreneurship should be treated as a core economic priority. Its roadmap urges member countries to ensure women business owners can access the commercial systems that shape contracts, investment and opportunities to expand.
Four priorities for women-led enterprises
The report identified four areas requiring action: access to public and private procurement, participation in corporate value chains, stronger care-economy infrastructure and more leadership opportunities in the workforce.
Procurement can provide small businesses with reliable demand and a stronger commercial track record. Making government and private-sector contracts more accessible could help women-led firms compete in larger domestic and cross-border markets.
Participation in corporate supply chains is another important route to scale. Connections with larger buyers, suppliers and markets can help entrepreneurs build stronger businesses while enabling companies to diversify their business partnerships.
The report also highlighted the care economy. Reliable care infrastructure can affect women’s ability to work, travel, manage enterprises and take on leadership roles over the long term.
Moving from small businesses to leadership
Avarna Jain, chairperson of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance, said women’s economic participation should be viewed as a growth strategy for the bloc.
“Women must not only be users, but they must also be creators, innovators and leaders,” she said.
Jain said women across BRICS countries are already starting businesses, creating jobs, developing ideas and contributing to growth. The next challenge is helping more entrepreneurs progress from small enterprises to larger businesses with access to opportunities across BRICS markets.
“Across Brics, women are building businesses, creating jobs, driving innovation and contributing to growth. The next step is to enable more women entrepreneurs to move from participation to leadership, from small enterprise to scale, and from success in one market to opportunities across Brics,” Jain said.
Finance remains central to that transition. Jain stressed that promising enterprises need capital to become durable, larger businesses, and called for stronger links between women entrepreneurs and investors.
Digital inclusion and cross-border opportunity
The alliance also pointed to digital tools as a way to broaden financial inclusion. Payment systems such as India’s Unified Payments Interface can make transactions more accessible and efficient for enterprises dealing with customers, suppliers and partners.
Its financial-inclusion compendium brings together practices and solutions from BRICS countries that could be adapted or expanded. The focus is on initiatives that can reach businesses at scale rather than isolated programmes with limited impact.
The BRICS Women’s Business Alliance also recommended expanding successful programmes across borders, advancing digital healthcare, supporting climate-smart agriculture and improving intellectual-property protection. These measures are intended to support women developing businesses in healthcare, agriculture, food security, tourism and the creative economy.
FAQ for Women Entrepreneurs in India
How can women-led businesses benefit from supply-chain access?
Supply-chain participation can connect a business with larger buyers, regular orders and new markets. It may also help a company establish a stronger record when seeking finance or future contracts.
Why does procurement matter for small enterprises?
Public and private procurement contracts can provide predictable demand. For a growing enterprise, this can improve revenue visibility and create a foundation for expansion.
What role can digital payments play?
Digital payment systems can make it easier for businesses to receive payments, pay suppliers and transact with customers. For smaller firms, accessible payment tools can support more efficient day-to-day operations.