Women make up just 8.7% of India's automotive workforce, up from 5.6% in 2023: Good Business Lab study

Good Business Lab (GBL), a non-profit labour research organisation, unveiled a report at the 66th ACMA Annual Session showing that women account for just 8.7% of India's combined OEM and component manufacturing workforce, up from 5.6% in 2023.

The report, titled "Powering India's Automotive Sector: Unlocking Women's Talent for Industry Growth," is based on a three-year programme conducted with 55-plus automotive firms and hundreds of industry stakeholders, developed with support from the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) and the Gates Foundation.

The report links workforce diversity to India's Viksit Bharat mission to raise manufacturing to 25% of GDP by 2047, in which women have been identified as a key pillar. It cites research estimating that doubling women's labour-force participation nationally could contribute close to $14 trillion toward India's $30 trillion GDP ambition by 2047.

By comparison, industry-wide data cited separately shows women's representation in India's broader manufacturing sector at around 25%, underscoring how far behind the automotive segment remains.

GBL's research identifies four areas for firms to act on: gender-effective recruitment, retention through workplace improvements, better use of existing skills investment through tracking systems, and safe access to night shifts.

On recruitment, the study found only 22-40% of women job seekers surveyed across NCR and Bengaluru knew that automotive firms hire women, and an ongoing recruitment trial with over 1,200 women job seekers suggests non-wage amenities — such as the option to bring a peer or work under a woman supervisor — improve job acceptance without requiring higher wages.

The report's findings draw on engagement with 55-plus OEMs and Tier 1 component manufacturers, over 400 stakeholder interviews, more than 1,900 individuals surveyed in quantitative research, and the ongoing recruitment trial of 1,200-plus women job seekers.

The president of ACMA said: "Women's participation is no longer a diversity aspiration for India's automotive industry — it is a workforce imperative. As we scale towards a globally competitive and resilient automotive sector, we must expand our talent pool, create workplaces where women can thrive, and ensure that successful practices move from isolated examples to industry-wide adoption. The future of automotive manufacturing will be stronger when it draws on the full strength of India's talent. This report provides automotive firms with a practical first step toward translating this imperative into action."

Archna Vyas, Country Director, Gates Foundation, said: "As India continues to build on its progress towards a Viksit Bharat, expanding economic opportunities for women will be a core driver. The automotive industry, given its scale and spread, can help create more pathways for women to enter, stay, and contribute to strengthening the manufacturing sector. The Gates Foundation is committed to supporting such efforts that offer potential roadmaps for accelerating these opportunities."

Anant Ahuja, co-founder at GBL, said: "After three years of speaking directly with hundreds of workers, managers and industry leaders, one thing became clear: the intent to build a more diverse workforce exists, but the challenge is turning that intent into implementation. What was missing was evidence on where to intervene, and proof that these interventions actually work. This report offers a foundation for both."

The report also proposes practical tools for firms, including gender-intentional recruitment, infrastructure-readiness checklists, gender-sensitisation programmes, digital skills tracking, a portable skills passport, and shift-based transport models to support women working night shifts.