New Delhi: The News9 Global Summit, UAE Edition unfolded in Abu Dhabi with a powerful call for women-led growth and inclusivity. Timed ahead of Emirati Women’s Day, the summit launched the SHEconomy Agenda. It is an initiative aimed at drafting a roadmap for affirmative action to strengthen women’s role as changemakers in business, society, and governance. The event emphasised how women are no longer mere participants but central to driving innovation, shaping industries, and redefining growth from grassroots initiatives to global boardrooms.
One of the evening’s highlights was the address by Sunjay Sudhir, India’s Ambassador to the UAE. He is a seasoned diplomat and a trusted bridge between India and the world. He has also played a pivotal role in deepening the India–UAE partnership. Under his leadership, bilateral ties have expanded significantly in trade, investment, energy, and technology.
He acknowledged TV9 for hosting the summit and praised the broad spectrum of speakers contributing to the dialogue. Calling it both symbolic and a call to action to build an equitable future, he said, “Women’s empowerment is central to the empowerment of society.”
He also highlighted women’s achievements across domains, from scaling mountains to becoming astronauts — and recalled how India’s freedom struggle was shaped by Kasturba Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu and countless women alongside Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and BR Ambedkar. Today, he said, women assume the highest offices in government and their role “is not macro charity but macro justice.”
Sudhir also said that equal economic participation by women is key to achieving equitable societies. He pointed out India’s progress in producing women Presidents, Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers, and credited women scientists for leading landmark space missions such as Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan.
“Women are breaking frontiers in defence, energy, and aviation. They are the heart of the India–UAE partnership,” he said. Emphasising that women’s equality is not the responsibility of governments alone but of all stakeholders, including media and society, he added that empowering women is a global challenge, not a national one.
He concluded by quoting Rabindranath Tagore, “The highest education is that which does not merely give us information, but makes our life in harmony with all existence.” Sunjay Sudhir’s participation highlighted the importance of diplomacy in inclusive global collaboration and for supporting the momentum in women-led growth.