India's manufacturing sector sees rising female participation, but quality concerns remain

Bharat Wakhlu, notes that although it is less discussed today, public sector enterprises such as HMT had, in the past, actively employed women. In sectors such as automotive, companies like Tata Motors, Mahindra, and a few others are making a conscious effort to increase the participation of women in manufacturing roles, including offering capable women opportunities to reenter the workforce after career breaks.

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Neelam: From your 40 years of leadership experience across industries and geographies, how do you view the current state of women's participation and leadership in manufacturing, both in India and globally?

Bharat Wakhlu: The participation of women in manufacturing roles, at various levels, both within India and across the globe, is a mixed bag. Let's take India first. While in absolute terms the number of women in manufacturing positions stands at 23 million, out of a total organised workforce of 68 million (about 34%), the fact is that the bulk of these jobs are concentrated in the apparel and textile sectors, where the jobs are strenuous, and the security of work is not assured. This concentration and the quality of jobs are a concern. In sectors such as automotive, companies such as Tata Motors, Mahindra and a few others, are consciously making an effort to employ more women in manufacturing positions, or giving capable women a chance to reenter the workforce after a break. This needs to happen more widely, across sectors.

Though not mentioned these days, in the past, public sector companies such as HMT would consciously employ women, but as a nation, a lack of consistent policy support to get more women into manufacturing has gone through ups and downs. Therefore, while India's Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) stands at about 42% (in FY2024), Vietnam and Thailand have an FLFPR of 50% each.