BRICS Summit 2026 Shifts Focus to Action for Women in Innovation & Leadership

Addressing the summit, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Khadse reiterated the government's vision of inclusive growth, stating that women empowerment remains central to India's development journey.

"India's vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047 is firmly rooted in inclusive growth, with women empowerment as a central pillar. India's youth and women together form the backbone of a progressive nation," she said.

The three-day summit, organised by the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry Women Empowerment Vertical (BRICS CCI WE), was held from March 21 to 23 on the theme "Women in Innovation, Science Leadership, Innovation & Entrepreneurship (WISE) - Inspiring Change, Shaping Tomorrow."

The summit brought together global leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs and innovators to discuss cross-border collaboration and women-led growth.

The WISE initiative, launched during the BRICS WBA Annual Plenary Meeting in Rio de Janeiro in July 2025, aims to build global partnerships and support women in leadership roles.

Delivering the welcome address, Ruby Sinha said the summit marked a shift from participation to leadership.

"This Summit is a call to action. 'WISE' reflects a decisive shift from participation to leadership, from access to influence, and from inclusion to impact," she said, stressing the importance of building stronger ecosystems and investing in women-led innovation.

The summit began with B2B networking sessions at Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Gurugram, and included an industry visit to the Nasscom Centre of Excellence for AI and IoT. A roundtable discussion with women leaders and experts was also held.

A key highlight of the event was the unveiling of a commemorative coffee table book titled "WISE Collective: Echoes of Excellence," celebrating achievements of women leaders. The convocation of the 3rd BRICS CCI WE Global Women Leadership Programme was also held.

In his address, Sameep Shastri said, "The BRICS+ nations represent a powerhouse of talent. Strategic policy interventions are now equipping our women to lead in high-tech industries."

Lebogang Zulu highlighted the need to focus on action, stating, "With 40 per cent of the BRICS population being women, the focus now is not on empowerment as a concept, but on action."

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi, who received the "Trailblazer: Living Legend" recognition, said cinema plays a role in amplifying women's voices and creating meaningful dialogue.

Debjani Ghosh, who received the lifetime achievement honour, stressed the importance of women influencing policy and decision-making.

"While diversity and inclusion have laid the foundation, the real measure of progress now lies in how many policies we shape and how many key decisions we influence," she said.

Former minister Meenakshi Lekhi unveiled Mission ShakthiSAT, highlighting women's growing role in science, technology and space exploration.

Other leaders including Kalpana Murmu Soren, MLA, Gandey, Jharkhand and Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Former BRICS Sherpa & Secretary to Govt. of India emphasised inclusive growth, capacity building and the need for stronger cooperation among BRICS nations.

Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GOI and Abhishek Singh, DG NIC & Additional Secretary, MeitY, Government of India spoke about building inclusive ecosystems and addressing bias in technology.

Actor and entrepreneur Bhumi Pednekar highlighted the role of women in climate action and sustainability.

Several global leaders and organisations were felicitated for their contributions to women empowerment, entrepreneurship and leadership across sectors.

The summit concluded with a strong emphasis on collaboration, policy support and ecosystem building to enable women to lead innovation and economic growth globally.

- ANI