Author: Neel Achary

DBS Bank Study: 69 Percent of Urban Female Entrepreneurs Lead Financial Decisions

69% of female entrepreneurs surveyed in urban India identify as primary decision-makers in financial matters: ‘Women and Finance’ study by DBS Bank India

Chandigarh, Mar 07: DBS Bank India has unveiled the latest report from its ‘Women & Finance’ series, with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP (DTTI LLP) as the research partner.

Launched ahead of International Women’s Day 2026, the report, Money Matters: Mindsets, Financial Agency and Behaviour Across Life and Career Stages, draws on responses from 1,342 women surveyed across North (23%), South (36%), East (14%) and West (27%) India, reflecting the views of female entrepreneurs, High Net Worth (HNW) women and rural women earners.

The report builds upon DBS Bank India’s Women and Finance study, first introduced in 2024, which comprises four reports capturing unique insights from women across segments. It explores their autonomy in financial decision-making, key drivers and life goals, preferences for engaging with banks and digital financial apps, as well as their perspectives on career breaks, perceived work-life balance, retirement planning and long-term financial preparedness.

Data from the survey suggests that financial decision-making increasingly sits with women themselves. Among the female entrepreneurs surveyed, 69% identify as primary decision-makers in financial matters, compared to 60% among rural women earners and 58% among HNW women. The trend is more pronounced with age, particularly among HNW women and female entrepreneurs, indicating that confidence and control grow as experience accumulates.

Global connectivity emerges as a key factor for many urban Indian women when selecting a banking partner. The preference is strongest among female entrepreneurs, with 89% citing a bank’s international network as influencing their decision. This trend is mirrored among HNW women, 84% of whom view an institution’s global footprint as an important factor in their choice. This preference is already reflected in their behaviour, with 81% of female entrepreneurs and 80% of HNW women surveyed already banking with global institutions. These trends point to the fact that these cohorts value cross-border connectivity, whether for business expansion, investing or the reassurance of institutional scale.

The study also shows that capital, while foundational, is not the only requirement for growth among the female entrepreneurs surveyed. Within this group, 44% value peer advisory and networking, 40% seek sector-specific mentorship, 33% want to strengthen investor connections to access growth capital, and 22% look for support on government schemes, and eligible grants or pitch competitions.

Divyesh Dalal, Managing Director and Country Head, Global Transaction Services, Corporate Banking, Financial Institutions and SMEs, DBS Bank India, said, “Insights from the latest report in our Women and Finance study highlight the growing importance female entrepreneurs place on institutional credibility and global connectivity when choosing a banking partner. This reflects the value they place on trusted partners that can support cross-border ambitions, offer access to global markets and connect them to broader ecosystems.

The findings also highlight that while access to credit continues to be an important enabler of growth, many female entrepreneurs are increasingly looking for support that goes beyond traditional banking services. Access to mentors, peer networks and investor connections is emerging as an important part of the journey as businesses scale. The insights underscore the importance of engaging with entrepreneurs in a more holistic way, combining financial solutions with ecosystem support that helps businesses grow meaningfully.”

Confidence levels in managing finances

• 76% of rural women earners surveyed report feeling confident or very confident about managing finances, compared to 67% among HNW women and 58% among female entrepreneurs.
• Among women who do not make financial decisions independently, there is reliance on trusted personal relationships for financial advice. Of the HNW women surveyed, 55% turn to their spouse or partner for financial advice or guidance, compared to 50% of female entrepreneurs surveyed. This pattern rises to 73% among rural women earners.

Life goals

• Among HNW women (64%) and female entrepreneurs surveyed (73%), buying a new home or property is a key priority, highlighting a strong preference for tangible assets and an affinity for home ownership. 73% of the rural women earners surveyed prioritise children’s education first as their life goal.

How women engage with banks

• Digital platforms, including apps and websites, are the most preferred channels of engagement for female entrepreneurs (44%) and 29% of HNW women. HNW women tend to prefer a hybrid approach (36%), combining digital channels with in-person support.

• In contrast, rural women earners show a stronger preference for in-person banking, with 47% favouring branch visits. This is driven by trust in face-to-face interactions.

Digital adoption

• Female entrepreneurs show the highest levels of digital adoption. Among those surveyed in this group, 84% use UPI, and 59% actively use digital financial tools such as banking apps. HNW women surveyed report UPI adoption at 77%, and 52% say they use digital tools such as savings and banking apps.
• Despite high smartphone ownership (82%), adoption of digital financial services remains limited among the rural women earners surveyed. Key barriers include low familiarity with apps (44%), fear of online scams (37%), and inconsistent connectivity (31%).

Career breaks

• Among those surveyed, female entrepreneurs report a higher incidence of career breaks, with 46% taking breaks for family or personal reasons and 22% for voluntary reasons such as travel or upskilling.
• This compares with HNW women, where the figures stand at 36% and 15% respectively. These differences suggest that female entrepreneurs may use the flexibility of self-employment to pause, recalibrate or invest in personal development, while HNW women tend to experience more continuous career paths.

Retirement planning and financial preparedness

• Among the female entrepreneurs surveyed, 39% expect to retire after the age of 50 years, 20% believe they may never fully retire, and 26% remain unsure. A similar pattern appears among HNW women, with 41% planning to retire after 50, 29% expecting lifelong engagement with work, and 12% uncertain about their retirement age.

• Rural women earners show comparable trends, with 42% expecting to retire after 50, 29% believing they will continue working indefinitely, and 19% remaining unsure. Among this cohort, 37% report having no long-term financial plan for retirement, while others rely on bank or post office savings (27%), formal pension schemes (23%), or informal instruments (13%).

Tata Power Collaborates with Salesforce to Accelerate India’s Clean Energy Transition

Chandigarh, Mar 7:Tata Power, one of India’s largest vertically integrated power companies, today announced its collaboration with Salesforce, the world’s #1 AI CRM, to digitally transform its rapidly expanding rooftop solar (RTS), EV charging, and smart home solutions businesses. The collaboration reinforces Tata Power’s long-term clean energy roadmap aligned with India’s net-zero ambitions by establishing a secure, intelligent, and fully integrated clean energy ecosystem powered by AI, automation, and data-driven insights. The platform will enable scalable growth, deeper partner and customer engagement, and operational excellence across the renewable energy value chain.

As part of this transformation, Tata Power has deployed Agentforce Sales, Agentforce Service, and Agentforce Marketing across its renewable energy subsidiary, Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL). The Salesforce platform powers intelligent, AI-enabled workflows that enhance visibility, accelerate decision-making, and create seamless omnichannel experiences—driving efficiency, agility, and service leadership at scale.

Agentforce Sales and Agentforce Service form the foundation of Tata Power’s best-in-class omnichannel engagement model. Salesforce serves as a strategic digital backbone for Tata Power’s high-growth renewable energy businesses. The platform enables end-to-end digitisation of partners and customer journeys, delivering streamlined lead management, inventory visibility, process automation, and real-time performance tracking. This ensures enhanced transparency, operational efficiency, and a superior customer experience across touchpoints.

Additionally, Tata Power has developed a proprietary deep learning and agentic intelligence layer built on top of Salesforce to enable a zero-touch quality and safety validation process. This digital capability facilitates instant on-site verification and automated warranty generation, reinforcing Tata Power’s commitment to quality assurance and delivery excellence under its Solaroof offerings.

Driven by strong policy momentum under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Yojana, Tata Power’s residential rooftop solar segment has delivered over 200% growth across the past two financial years. Overall, the Company’s solar portfolio has achieved a fivefold increase in revenues between FY2020 and FY2025, reflecting accelerated market adoption, digital-led execution excellence, and expanding customer trust across segments.

Looking ahead, Tata Power and Salesforce will collaborate to co-innovate high-impact, agentic AI-led workflows designed to transform omnichannel customer and partner contact centre operations – driving faster resolution, proactive service, and predictive engagement.

Dr Praveer Sinha, CEO and MD Tata Power said,

“Tata Power is leading India’s green energy transition by scaling rooftop solar nationwide, expanding EV charging infrastructure, and advancing intelligent energy management solutions. As we accelerate this growth, digital capability is a critical enabler of scale, speed, and customer trust. Leveraging Salesforce’s AI-powered platform, we are transforming customer and partner journeys with greater transparency and agility, while strengthening operational excellence. Together, we are building a future-ready clean energy ecosystem that advances India’s net-zero ambitions.”

Arundhati Bhattacharya, President & CEO at Salesforce – South Asia, said,

“The path to a sustainable future is being paved by visionary enterprises that are embedding intelligence, agility, and customer-centricity into the core of their operations. Tata Power’s digital-first approach to accelerating India’s green energy mission exemplifies how technology can be a powerful catalyst for national transformation. At Salesforce, we are proud to partner with Tata Power in building a future-ready energy ecosystem—one that harnesses the power of data, AI, and automation to drive scalable impact, inclusive growth, and long-term climate resilience.”

Venezuela’s Deputy Minister Arturo Gil Visits Cape Town to Advance Energy Ties

The visit builds on an MoU signed between Venezuelan petroleum authorities and the African Energy Chamber in February 2026, representing the next step in this collaborative initiative

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Mar 7 — Following the historic visit by the African Energy Chamber (AEC) (https://EnergyChamber.org) to Venezuela in February 2026, Venezuela responded by sending its Deputy Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Productive Efficiency on Hydrocarbons Arturo Gil to South Africa to advance energy ties.

A high-level meeting was held in Cape Town, featuring Deputy Minister Gil and Carlos Feo Acevedo, the Venezuelan Ambassador to South Africa, alongside an AEC team led by Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk and a team from Energy Capital & Power, led by CEO James Chester. Discussions centered on strengthening investment flows, leveraging Venezuela’s expertise to support Africa’s energy resilience and identifying avenues for collaboration across the energy value chain.

The meeting follows a high-level visit by the AEC to Caracas in late February, which included meetings with Delcy Rodríguez, Interim President of Venezuela as well as the state-owned oil corporation Petróleos de Venezuela SA and the ministries of Hydrocarbon Geopolitics and Gas. The outcome of these meetings was a signed MoU, aimed at strengthening investment and collaboration across the oil, gas and broader energy sectors. The Cape Town discussion represents the next step in this collaboration, underscoring Venezuela’s commitment to establishing resilient ties with African nations.

Workforce Development and Technical Cooperation

A key outcome of the meeting was a commitment to strengthening workforce development across Africa’s energy sector. Under the initiative, the AEC will engage between 10 and 15 African stakeholders to participate in specialized technical training programs at Venezuela’s University of Hydrocarbons, supporting skills development and knowledge transfer between the two regions.

The Venezuelan delegation emphasized the importance of building long-term technical partnerships, noting that structured training programs would allow African professionals to gain hands-on expertise while fostering deeper institutional cooperation between Africa and Venezuela.

“We believe it would be valuable to organize a working visit to South Africa and bring a Venezuelan delegation to explore cooperation and investment opportunities,” stated Deputy Minister Gil.

Leveraging Venezuelan Oil and Gas Expertise

The meeting also examined how Africa can benefit from Venezuela’s more than 100 years of oil and gas production experience. Ayuk highlighted geological similarities between Venezuela and key African producing countries such as Namibia and Angola, suggesting that knowledge exchange on basin geology and data interpretation could accelerate exploration and production across both regions.

“We need to strengthen collaboration between Africa and Venezuela. I hope to see more African stakeholders leveraging your cooperation, particularly in the area of data sharing and trade,” stated Ayuk.

He also underscored Venezuela’s unique role as a member of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization, emphasizing the importance of increased participation in continental initiatives such as the African Energy Bank to address both the continent and the south American nation’s investment challenges.

Unlocking Investment and Market Opportunities

Investment opportunities within Venezuela’s hydrocarbon sector was also a central focus of the meeting. The Venezuelan delegation highlighted the country’s extensive geological database, built over more than a century of exploration and production activity, which provides investors with detailed insights into untapped resources and development opportunities.

With 1,000 wells planned for development and over 20,000 wells already drilled – including many yet to be optimized – the country presents substantial and highly lucrative investment opportunities across its upstream sector.

Gas Development and Energy Access

Venezuela’s vast natural gas resources were also discussed as a potential solution to Africa’s growing energy access challenges. With approximately 600 million people in Africa lacking access to electricity and nearly one billion living without access to clean cooking solutions, Ayuk highlighted the potential role of Venezuela’s flared gas in strengthening the continent’s energy supply while also supporting economic growth for the South American nation.

“Venezuela has significant onshore gas resources that can be further developed, but unlocking this potential will require greater investment to support both national development and the needs of our people,” stated Deputy Minister Gil. “LPG is not only an energy resource but also a social solution with strong economic and societal value. There is substantial potential for expansion in both our onshore and offshore gas sectors.”

Role of African Independents in Upstream Expansion

During the meeting, the parties emphasized the growing influence of African independent oil companies, noting their success in expanding production across the continent after decades of experience working alongside international majors. Drawing parallels with markets such as Nigeria, he suggested that independent operators could also play a role in supporting Venezuela’s efforts to increase oil output through brownfield redevelopment and mature asset optimization.

“Outside the U.S., Africa – especially Nigeria – has one of the largest populations of independent oil producers, with many operators producing from as little as 1,000 barrels per day,” stated Ayuk.

As both regions seek to expand production and address energy access challenges, deeper collaboration between African and Venezuelan stakeholders could unlock new opportunities across the global energy landscape.

Sukhraj Nahar, President, CREDAI-MCHI, on the Maharashtra State Budget 2026–27

“The Maharashtra Budget 2026–27 reinforces the government’s strong commitment to infrastructure-led growth, which remains a key catalyst for the real estate sector, particularly in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Major investments in transformative infrastructure such as Mumbai Metro Line 11 (INR 23,487 crore) connecting Wadala to the Gateway of India, and Metro Line 8 (INR 22,862 crore) linking Mumbai to the Navi Mumbai International Airport, will significantly strengthen regional connectivity.

Improved metro connectivity plays a crucial role in shaping real estate growth by reducing travel time, improving access to employment hubs, and opening up new residential and commercial development corridors along transit routes. This will increase housing demand and encourage planned development across emerging micro-markets.

Such large-scale infrastructure initiatives will not only enhance urban mobility but also drive housing demand, support transit-oriented development, and accelerate balanced urban expansion across the MMR. With Maharashtra’s economy projected to grow at 7.9%, the continued focus on infrastructure development will further boost investor confidence and reinforce MMR’s position as one of India’s most dynamic real estate markets.”

Kia India Expands ‘Buckle Up’ Road Safety Initiative with Phase II; Signs MoU with TSL Foundation, Inaugurated by MoRTH

Mumbai, India, Mar 06: Reinforcing its role as a responsible mobility leader, Kia India, one of the country’s leading mass premium carmakers, announced the launch of Phase II of its flagship road safety initiative, ‘Buckle Up’, in partnership with The Social Lab Foundation (TSL), under the aegis of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Marking the next phase, Kia India and TSL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand the initiative’s reach and impact. Phase II was inaugurated by Shri Ajay Tamta, Hon’ble Minister of State, MoRTH, at Transport Bhawan, New Delhi, in the presence of senior government officials and Kia India leadership. 

During Phase I of the Buckle–Up project (February 2024 – February 2026), Kia India partnered with the Gurugram Traffic Police to address road safety through a dual focus on Infrastructure and behavioural awareness. The programme facilitated the installation of 750 crash barriers across identified high-risk stretches in Gurugram, strengthening on-ground preventive infrastructure. Complementing these efforts, Kia India conducted structured road safety education programmes across 100 schools, reaching nearly 32,000 students and fostering early awareness among young road users. 

By integrating tangible infrastructure upgrades with youth-focused engagement and working in close coordination with local authorities, Phase I established a scalable and outcome-driven model for community-led road safety. This structured foundation now evolves into Phase II, reinforcing Kia India’s long-term commitment to building safer mobility ecosystems through measurable and sustainable interventions. 

Building on this strong foundation, Phase II (April 2026 – March 2028) significantly expands the initiative’s scale and geographic footprint. The programme will extend across Delhi–NCR and Uttarakhand, engaging nearly 20,000 students across 100 colleges through advanced driving simulators and structured experiential learning modules. These are designed to help young road users understand real-world risks and adopt safer driving behaviours. The initiative will also strengthen road safety infrastructure through the installation of additional crash barriers in high-risk zones, including Gurgaon and along the Delhi–Uttarakhand highway. These efforts will be supported by integrated awareness campaigns across different platforms of online and on-ground engagement programmes, further advancing Kia India’s long-term vision of building safer mobility ecosystems across communities. 

During the MoU signing, Shri Ajay Tamta, Hon’ble Minister of State, MoRTH, commended Kia India’s structured approach to strengthening road safety through infrastructure and awareness interventions. He emphasized the importance of sustained collaboration between industry and government to reduce road fatalities and advance national road safety awareness efforts. 

On the progression of the initiative, Mr. Sood, said, “At Kia India, safety is a fundamental pillar of our mobility vision, extending beyond our vehicles to the communities we serve. ‘Buckle Up’ reflects our long-term commitment to creating safer mobility ecosystems through infrastructure enhancement and sustained behavioural change initiatives. With Phase II, we are scaling our efforts to reach young and first-time drivers while strengthening on-ground safety interventions. Through this initiative, we are proud to support the Government of India’s vision of safer roads and contribute meaningfully towards building a stronger culture of road safety across communities.” 

Commenting on the occasion, Apoorva Sharma, Executive Director of TSL Foundation said, “Our collaboration with Kia India in Phase I laid a strong operational foundation through targeted infrastructure and school-level engagement. With Phase II, we are building on these learnings to scale the programme across new geographies and age groups, further strengthening its impact through structured, experiential road safety interventions.” 

Through the ‘Buckle Up’ initiative, Kia India continues to advance a structured and scalable model for community-led road safety, aligned with national priorities and built on measurable impact. As the programme evolves into its next phase, the company reaffirms its commitment to working alongside government bodies, local authorities, and community stakeholders to foster safer road behaviours and strengthen mobility ecosystems across India.