India's Female Workforce Participation Rises to 40% in 2025

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Friday, 16 October 2026

Participation of women in the workforce in India has witnessed considerable growth over the past few years. As per Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) rate has grown from 23.3 per cent in 2017-18 to 40% in 2025. Likewise, the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) rate among women grew from 22% to 38.8% during the same period.

It was estimated that about 20 crore women aged 15 years and above were engaged in work in India during 2025, indicating an increasing trend of women workforce participation in India’s economic domain. The progress signifies the growing emphasis of policy makers on empowering women through better access to finances, entrepreneurship opportunities, skills, markets and safe workplaces.

Key Highlights:

• Women’s workforce participation rises as India strengthens economic empowerment initiatives
• Women own 38% of registered MSMEs, with growing representation in technology and research
• Government schemes expand women entrepreneurs’ access to credit, subsidies and business opportunities

Women have been making significant strides in India’s entrepreneurship system, with notable presence in business ownership and the startup world. As of October 2026, roughly 3.69 crore MSMEs registered are owned by women, constituting about 38% of total registrations. Moreover, above 1.07 lakh startups registered by March 2026 are led by one or more women directors or partners, which makes up for roughly 48% of the total startups.

Women’s involvement has been increasing in technology-based industries also. As of July 2026, about 70% of the workforce directly employed in mobile phone manufacturing is made up of women. In the broader electronics manufacturing industry, women constitute around 30% of the workforce generated during the last ten years. In semiconductor manufacturing and design, women constitute about 25% of the workforce as of March 2025, consisting of about one-fourth of India’s semiconductor design and engineering workforce.

There has also been an increase in the presence of women in specialized jobs in the field of civil aviation. As of June 2025, 15% of the pilots and air traffic controllers, 11% of the flight dispatchers, and 33% of Flight Operations Inspectors in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation were women.

The role of women in scientific research is also increasing along with these developments. According to the Research and Development Statistics 2025–26 report, their participation in science careers rose from 13% in 2000–01 to 29 per cent in 2023–24.

Under the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises, 90% of guarantees are available for women entrepreneurs and a 10% reduction on guarantee fees. Till February 2026, about 30.75 lakh guarantees amounting to ₹2.07 lakh crore were sanctioned to women entrepreneurs.

Also the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme assists in enterprise development through the provision of margin money support up to 25% in urban areas and 35% in rural areas to women entrepreneurs. Up to May 2026, women constitute almost 40% of all microenterprises supported under the program.

Adequate formalization, easy finance access and improved market linkages are keys in developing sustainable women entrepreneurs in India. The emphasis is on not only helping women enter the workforce but also establishing sustainable businesses, acquiring specialized knowledge, and securing jobs. These efforts form part of the wider objective of advancing women-led development and supporting the vision of Viksit Bharat.