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For generations, Tara’s mother and aunts have made seb murabba, a traditional form of apple jam using surplus apples from orchards near Mashobra, Himachal Pradesh. Her village elders would use the murabba for year-round consumption or sell small batches by the roadside or to local traders, earning just enough for a few meals. Tara’s journey underscores a larger systemic issue faced by countless women entrepreneurs across India—restricted market access, which limits their economic potential as well as the preservation of traditional crafts and heritage.
Market access is not merely a commercial opportunity but a critical driver of social and economic transformation. When women can participate equitably in the marketplace, they gain the means to scale their businesses, generate sustainable incomes, and contribute significantly to their families and communities. This ripple effect extends beyond individual enterprises, fostering local economic growth and inspiring societal change. However, traditional barriers such as limited mobility, dependence on middlemen, constrained networks, and societal norms often confine women entrepreneurs to local markets, curbing their growth and perpetuating inequalities.
Digital public infrastructure – Technology built for a billion scale
In recent years, India’s digital public infrastructure has been reshaping opportunities for rural entrepreneurs. Initiatives like Aadhaar (biometric ID), Jan Dhan (financial inclusion), and UPI (instant payments) now enable women like Tara to receive subsidies, make transactions independently, and bypass cash dependency. Women entrepreneurs in rural India are discovering a new frontier—one that enables them to change their lives using e-commerce.
Digital networks and platforms have emerged as powerful tools, providing women entrepreneurs the means to access wider markets and resources. By leveraging technology, these platforms address structural limitations and democratise opportunities for entrepreneurs previously excluded from mainstream commerce.
Digital commerce for socio-economic transformation
E-commerce has the potential to be a powerful enabler for women entrepreneurs, allowing them to lift themselves and their communities out of poverty while fostering a sense of pride and self-reliance. Beyond just providing a sales channel, digital markets create a dynamic ecosystem that connects women entrepreneurs to suppliers, financial services, and logistical networks.
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By participating in digital commerce, women can source materials beyond their local communities, enabling them to enhance the quality of their products. Additionally, digital platforms provide access to essential services such as branding, packaging, and logistics, making their offerings more competitive in the marketplace. This creates a virtuous cycle—with increased revenues, women entrepreneurs can reinvest in their businesses, access credit, and further scale their operations.
Equity in digital market access
Despite its promise, the transition to digital platforms is not without challenges. Traditional e-commerce platforms, while successful in urban areas, may not be the best fit for small, women-led rural businesses in India.
Many women entrepreneurs, particularly in rural areas, lack digital literacy or access to technology. Moreover, even if they have access to these platforms, selling online requires licenses, and high-quality catalogs and branding.
Cultural and societal norms may further restrict their ability to engage with these platforms. Addressing these barriers requires targeted interventions, including capacity-building programs, affordable technology tools and solutions, local ecosystem support, and supportive policies.
This calls for innovative models to bridge the digital divide for grassroots sellers, given that with India’s vast female population gaining increasing purchasing power, the demand for unique, locally crafted, and traditional goods is growing. By enabling rural women entrepreneurs to leverage digital e-commerce, we bridge the gap between these artisans and consumers across the country. This not only provides wider access to rural and traditionally inaccessible products but also empowers women economically.
The path forward: Unlocking possibilities
While digital markets offer immense potential, their reach must be extended to the most underserved segments of society. This requires a concerted effort from policymakers, industry stakeholders, startups, and local entrepreneurs to think beyond digital platforms. Moreover, community-driven systems can help women navigate societal and cultural constraints, building their confidence to engage in the digital economy. These efforts combined can pave the way for equitable access to markets, enabling women to contribute more significantly to India’s economy and societal growth.
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Access to markets is a transformative force for women entrepreneurs, enabling them to overcome traditional barriers and build sustainable businesses. Digital networks mentioned above are at the forefront of this revolution, creating opportunities for women across India to redefine commerce and entrepreneurship. When women are empowered with market access, they drive innovation, uplift communities, and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economic growth. The time to invest in these transformative solutions is now, as we work collectively towards a future where every entrepreneur has the tools and opportunities to succeed.
The writer is the CEO of Open Network for Digital Commerce.