Mumbai, India — The U.S. Department of State has announced new anchor partners for the U.S.-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment. The U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC), the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute at Johns Hopkins University (GKII-JHU), and the American India Foundation (AIF) have been named as the new primary partners in this critical initiative aimed at enhancing women’s economic participation in India.
Since its inception in 2019, the Alliance has been dedicated to increasing women’s employment opportunities, improving access to education, and fostering entrepreneurship among women in India. The newly appointed anchor partners bring extensive experience and commitment to advancing women’s roles across various sectors, promising to drive the Alliance’s mission forward.
Focused Leadership for Targeted Impact
Each anchor partner will spearhead a distinct focus area, harnessing their expertise to deliver targeted results:
- USIBC will lead efforts to increase women’s participation in India’s corporate workforce.
- GKII-JHU will focus on empowering women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
- AIF will work to accelerate women’s entrepreneurship across the country.
In addition to the anchor partners, the Alliance has welcomed new members Boeing India, ReNew, and Mahindra & Mahindra, all of which have demonstrated a solid commitment to advancing women economically.
Championing Women’s Economic Advancement
- Boeing India, where over a quarter of the workforce comprises women, will collaborate with the Alliance to establish 150 STEM Labs for girls, provide scholarships and flight training for aspiring female pilots, and offer aviation career development programs.
- ReNew, with 40% female representation on its board and 14% within its workforce, will focus on scaling its initiatives to re-skill women salt pan workers as solar technicians.
- Mahindra & Mahindra, committed to supporting 1 million women with skilling and livelihood opportunities, has already impacted over 765,000 women. The company will work with the Alliance to expand this initiative in collaboration with other companies.
A Vision for Inclusive Growth
Ambassador Eric Garcetti highlighted these partnerships’ crucial role in unlocking women’s economic potential in India. “Each of these leading companies has championed women’s economic advancement, making foundational investments to bring more women into their industries’ talent pools. Their commitment and contributions are vital to unlocking the potential of women as the economic powerhouse of India. We look forward to working together to create a more inclusive and equitable future for women in India.”
This strategic collaboration underscores the United States’ commitment to empowering women to foster broader economic growth and social stability. By combining resources and expertise, these initiatives aim to create significant and lasting improvements in the economic status of women in India. The Alliance plans to achieve this through a series of targeted programs, such as mentorship initiatives, skill development workshops, and policy advocacy for gender equality in the workplace.
