Women-led development incorporated into India's foreign policy: EAM Minister S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said that women-led development is the priority of the Centre, and it has also been incorporated into India's foreign policy.

Jaishankar said this while chairing a plenary session themed "Ideal Woman Diaspora: Women's Leadership and Influence - Nari Shakti", held on the last day of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention.

He said that India cannot become a developed nation until “we are able to deal with traditional, historical and societal attitudes. If India is to become a modern, industrial, tech-centric society then we cannot neglect the role of 50 per cent of the talent”.

"Women-led development has been the priority of the central government. It has also been incorporated into our foreign policy," Jaishankar said without elaborating.

Giving due respect to women's skills, the government is committed to ensuring their nutrition, health and education by reducing social disparities, he said.

As significant steps towards women's empowerment by the Centre, maternity leave was extended to 26 weeks, loans were provided to three crore women entrepreneurs under the MUDRA scheme, and 32 lakh bank accounts were opened under the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, the minister said, adding that women's participation in higher education increased 28 per cent.

He also said that under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, over 10 crore smoke-free kitchens have been provided, and 72 per cent of the beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana are women.

Praising women expatriates who have created their unique identity in various fields, Jaishankar said that their achievements could be inspirational for all.

Notable participants included Shullette Cox from Jamaica's Promotions Corporation, Purnima Sagar from PT Infotech Solutions in Indonesia, and Sudha Majithia, a key entrepreneur in Tanzania.

The participants shared their experiences and insights, highlighting the significant role of women in shaping India's global presence and empowerment narrative.

Dr Ritu Karidhal of ISRO, known as the 'Rocket Woman of India,' moderated the panel discussion.