New Delhi, May 12 -- The Donald Trump administration's announcement of reciprocal tariffs on several American trading partners is causing a strategic shift in trade globally. As India gears up to take advantage of this by ramping up manufacturing, there lurks another opportunity. Many of the manufacturing sectors in focus, such as apparel, textiles, footwear, food products and electronics, have a higher than average representation of women in their workforce. In fact, an estimated 60% of the women employed in (both formal and informal) manufacturing are in these sectors.

This could be a critical moment for women's workforce participation and their economic empowerment in India, and presents an opportunity too precious to be lost. As thin...