To address the gender gap and become a $30 Trillion Economy, India must integrate 145 million 'missing' women into the workforce by 2047 to reach a female labor force participation rate (FLFPR) from its current 35%–40% to 70%, by 2047of 70% and build a 400 million women workforce.

A report titled ‘From Aspiration to Action: Building India’s 400 million Women Workforce’, launched by Magic Bus India Foundation, an NGO in the education and skilling space, in collaboration with Bain & Company, outlines a comprehensive roadmap to double India's women workforce.

Despite favourable socio-economic conditions, including a positive demographic dividend and supportive policies, India’s workforce is projected to add only 110 million women by 2047, reaching an FLFPR of 45%, that is, 255 million women. This leaves a staggering gap of 145 million ‘missing women’ who need to be integrated into the workforce to meet the country’s economic goals. This initiative is critical for economic growth and achieving gender equality in the job market. 

Barriers for women

The report highlights that the challenges are distinct for rural and urban women. Approximately 70% of the women out of the workforce by 2047 are expected to reside in rural areas, where limited job opportunities and unstable work environments reduce workforce participation. Meanwhile, urban women face challenges such as job-skill mismatches, undervaluation of domestic work compared to market jobs, and wage disparities.

Seven archetypes of Indian women

The report classifies Indian women into seven archetypes, within the In-Labour-Force (ILF) and Out-of-Labour-Force (OLF) categories. The key OLF category comprises —Aspirational Homemaker (~86 million), Settled Homemaker (~75 million), High-Potential Youth (~37 million). While the ILF category encompasses four archetypes—Family Enterprise and Farm Assistors (~52 million), Home-Based and Nano Entrepreneurs (~39 million), Casual Labour, including Gig Workers (~26 million), and Salaried Women (~23 million).  

However, these four priority archetypes—Aspirational Homemakers, High-Potential Youth, Home-Based and Nano Entrepreneurs, and Casual Labour (including Gig Workers)—are key segments for immediate action to close the participation gap.

Strategic Livelihood Solutions: The E4 and PROGRES Models

To address the workforce gap, the report proposes two main livelihood models: 

E4 Model (Enabling Entrepreneurship): The report introduces the Ecologically Embedded Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (E4) model, which is designed to support women entrepreneurs in rural areas by creating self-sustaining entrepreneurial ecosystems with an anchor player offering locally tailored business opportunities. 

PROGRES Model (Creating Jobs):  A model to enable job readiness for urban women that focuses on professional readiness, growth, and resilience through targeted skill-building, employer linkages, and support systems to address caregiving responsibilities.

Call for Ecosystem Collaboration

The report calls for a cohesive and collective effort from the government, private sector, nonprofits, and investors to create the necessary infrastructure, policies, and funding to support women’s integration into the workforce. It advocates for gender-inclusive policies, financial literacy programs, and improved market access for women entrepreneurs.

Jayant Rastogi, Global CEO, Magic Bus India Foundation, said, “Empowering women is more than a moral choice; it is also an economic lifeline. To meet our $30 trillion GDP target by 2047, we must address the challenge of increasing female labour force participation to 70%, bringing 400 million women into the workforce. This report is a clear call to encourage the young girls of India to become a part of its growth story, find their agency by overcoming barriers to education and employment, and contribute to more inclusive growth for our economy.”

Navneet Chahal, Partner at Bain & Company, said, “India’s growth story is unlikely to play out fully without enhanced women’s participation in the labour force, yet their participation remains far below its potential. Whether it’s empowering rural women through an ecologically embedded entrepreneurship ecosystem (E4) model that solves for skill building, mentorship, market linkages, and access to capital, or, enabling professional readiness, growth, and resilience (PROGRES) for urban women through tailored skills training, flexible work environment and childcare support, India can unlock $14 trillion in economic value from women alone, making a significant impact on India’s journey to becoming a $30 trillion economy by 2047. It’s not just about inclusion—it’s about driving sustainable growth for the country.”