From Policy to Action: Smriti Irani and British Council Back 1 Lakh Women Entrepreneurs With New Partnership

New Delhi, March 17, 2026: When Smriti Irani founded the Alliance for Global Good - Gender Equity and Equality, the vision was clear - to bring about real change for women by bringing together the right people, institutions, and resources. That vision took a significant step forward on March 17, 2026, when the British Council officially signed an agreement with SPARK – The 100K Collective in New Delhi, with Smriti present as a driving force behind the initiative. The event also saw Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council, reaffirm his organisation's commitment to women's growth and economic participation in India.

So what does this actually mean on the ground? SPARK is a programme trying to reach 1 lakh women across India who have already started their businesses but are stuck in the middle. They've outgrown small-scale work but don't yet have the tools, skills, or connections to go bigger. The British Council is stepping in to help with exactly that by offering training in English, communication, and digital skills so these women can pitch better, network more confidently, and open doors to larger markets. For Smriti, this is precisely the kind of collaboration she has long advocated for, one that goes beyond words and actually puts resources in women's hands.

The idea is bigger than just a training programme though. SPARK wants to build an entire support system around women entrepreneurs right from helping them understand governance and compliance, to getting them visibility on national and global platforms. Smriti Irani's Alliance for Global Good sits at the heart of this ambition, ensuring that gender equity isn't just a talking point but a structured, scalable reality.

Speaking on the occasion, Smriti Irani, Founder of the Alliance for Global Good - Gender Equity and Equality and Former Union Minister, Government of India, said "The Alliance for Global Good - Gender Equity and Equality was founded on the belief that advancing gender equity requires strong collaboration across institutions and sectors. Women entrepreneurs across India are already demonstrating extraordinary leadership and resilience. By strengthening access to skills, resources, and supportive networks, initiatives such as this can help women scale their ambitions into sustainable enterprises and participate more fully in shaping India's economic future."

Scott McDonald, Chief Executive, British Council, said "At the British Council, we see education, skills and connections as powerful drivers of opportunity. Supporting women to build the capabilities they need to grow their businesses and participate fully in the economy is an important part of that vision. Through this collaboration, we're pleased to bring our experience in English and skills development to support women entrepreneurs in strengthening their communication, expanding their networks, and growing their enterprises with confidence."

Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, says, "I'm really proud to have been at an event where the British Council was signing an MoU to support SPARK which is a phenomenal program that helps to give female entrepreneurs and particularly women who want to grow their businesses, the kind of English language skills that allow them to grow their businesses and be a bigger part of the global supply chain. It was so inspiring to hear the work that is being done and the potential for even more women to participate in that, and to meet some of the women who are already part of the programme. I was really grateful that Smriti Irani, who was here helping to kick off the program with all of the work she and her colleagues have done to get us so far."

Susan Acland-Hood, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education, UK, says, "I'm here in India learning together about education systems across the world and preparing for visits by our ministers in the future. It was an incredibly inspiring event. It was really exciting to hear from the women who've started what I think will be an enormously exciting initiative to grow entrepreneurs and to support them by bringing the opportunity to learn English. We know that language and communication of all kinds can unlock opportunity, can give people access to markets, can help people to communicate, challenge and change. I'm very excited about anything that increases that opportunity, particularly for women across India, but actually, I think there are lessons here for women across the world."

The agreement was signed at the British Council's New Delhi office, with senior leaders and partners from both sides present. It signals a joint commitment to creating real, on-the-ground change for women-led businesses by building skills, widening networks, and making sure women entrepreneurs have a stronger seat at the table in India's growing economy.

About the British Council:

The British Council is the UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education, and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2024–25 we reached 599 million people. For more details, visit https://www.britishcouncil.in/

About the SPARK Collective:

The SPARK Collective is a crucial national movement launched by the Women's Collective Forum to empower 1,00,000 (one lakh) women entrepreneurs across 300 locations in India. It aims to support the "missing middle"—women who have moved beyond micro-level activities but still lack the necessary resources to effectively scale their businesses. The program's core focus is on strengthening enterprises for sustainable growth by equipping participants with skills in governance, compliance, English and communication readiness, digital and marketing adoption, and leadership. This comprehensive ecosystem, also referred to as a 360-degree approach, is designed to provide women entrepreneurs with the funds, freedom, and capacity to scale their ventures and truly "Rise and Roar."