Mumbai, India | October, 2025 — India captivated the global business community as the International Women’s Federation of Commerce and Industry (IWFCI – India National Chapter) hosted the insightful ‘Global Women’s Trade Summit’ (GWTS 2025) from October 3rd to 6th, 2025. The four-day summit was a powerhouse celebration of women’s leadership, innovation, and cross-border collaboration, drawing 30 international delegates from nations— including the USA, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, the Philippines, and Uzbekistan alongside India’s top entrepreneurs and academics.

Day 1: Oct 3, 2025

The summit opened with a vibrant B2B Meet at Mumbai’s World Trade Centre (WTC) where over 150 Indian entrepreneurs engaged in dynamic business networking with global delegates igniting discussions on partnerships, investments, and new trade frontiers. This was hosted by WTC and presided by WTC Chairman Mr. Vijay Kalantri.

Day 2: Oct 4, 2025

The grand inauguration set an inspiring tone, led by Dr. Vijay Kalantri (Chairman, World Trade Center), Ms. Sunita Rajan (Managing Director, APAC Media Sales and Marketing, Bloomberg Media), Ms. Diana Abruzzi (Founder & Global Chair, IWFCI), and Dr. Daphne Pillai (Founder President, IWFCI India).

Two thought-provoking panels explored ‘India’s Emerging Trade Opportunities‘ and ‘Women Leaders Driving Sustainable Businesses.’
At the first panel discussion “INDIA – Advantages and Opportunities for Trade and Commerce” moderated by Dr. Rema Ramchandran, Director IWFCI-India, trailblazers of the corporate sector, Ms. Bhavana Bindra, Board Member- Radiance, Kennametal India, Ms. Geetha Nerurkar, Founder and CEO, Maxim Global Resources Pvt Ltd and Ms. Pallavi Gill, CEO, RCMPA Polishing Technologies Pvt. Ltd. shared their thoughts around India’s evolving trade landscape and emerging global opportunities.

In the second panel discussion ‘The Power of Collaboration: Women Leaders Driving Sustainable Businesses’ moderated by Ms. Ann Rapheal, Oil & Gas Consultant, inspiring leaders Ms. Jayati Chakraborty, Managing Director, Hapag-Lloyd AG, Dr Mita Dixit, Co-founder, Equations Advisors Pvt. Ltd. and Ms. Metilda Stanley, MD – Techsurance Private Limited shared real-world strategies and powerful stories of collaboration that are shaping the future of sustainable businesses.

Branding strategist Ms. Parinita Adukia wrapped up the day with a dynamic session on ‘Creating an Authentic Brand in the World of AI.’

Cultural Exchange Evening: A Cultural Confluence

The evening transitioned into an elegant Indian Cultural Soirée, celebrating India’s spirit of unity in diversity. Foreign delegates witnessed a breathtaking showcase of traditional Indian dance forms and a stunning fashion walk featuring regional attire and craftsmanship — a celebration of India’s cultural grandeur and its timeless spirit of hospitality.

Day 3: Oct 5, 2025

The third day spotlighted ‘Emerging Opportunities for Women in Technology, Innovation & Global Trade.’

Moderated by Ms. Geetanjali Bhattacharji Founder and CEO of Glassbox Venture, the discussion featured Ms. Priyanka Swain of Tally Solutions Pvt Ltd, Ms. Sonali Nimkar, Director Data Science & AI Capgemini and Mr. Anil Nair, Co-Founder Deepspot.AI who emphasized the importance of mentorship, innovation, and resilience in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

A key highlight of the event was the session titled “Empowered Women, Empowered Economies,” which featured Presidents of IWFCI National Chapters showcasing the economic potential and business opportunities within their respective countries. The session opened doors for meaningful collaboration and cross-border partnerships.

Dr. Daphne Pillai, President of IWFCI India National Chapter, spoke on “India – The Land of Exciting Business Opportunities.”
Daphne Pang from Australia highlighted “Australia’s Advantage – Stability, Opportunity, and Growth.”
AngeeLia Phua, President of IWFCI Singapore, presented “Business Without Borders – Singapore’s Global Advantage.”
Salwana Ali from Malaysia spoke on “Malaysia’s Strategic Edge in the Global Market.”
and Vino Pillay from South Africa shared insights on “South Africa – The Gateway to African Markets.”

The IWFCI Presidents’ Roundtable featuring leaders from India, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and South Africa presented new collaborative frameworks for trade and entrepreneurship.

Protocol agreements were also signed for new IWFCI chapters in the Philippines and Uzbekistan extending IWFCI’s global footprint. The baton for hosting the next GWTS was ceremoniously passed to IWFCI Australia received by Global Chair Ms. Diana Abruzzi.

The day ended with closing remarks by Dr. Daphne Pillai.

Day 4 – October 6th, 2025: The Global Women’s Education & Enterprise Dialogue

The final day of the summit, Capstone Day at Pillai College, was dedicated to shaping future global leaders and budding entrepreneurs.

Foreign delegates were warmly welcomed in traditional Indian style by Pillai College students, followed by an innovative robotic welcome dance on Puneri Dhol, presented by the SWE (Society of Women Engineers) Pillai College team, seamlessly blending tradition with technology.

The day featured inspiring addresses by Ms. Diana Abruzzi, who encouraged students — especially young women to have the courage to pursue their dreams, and Ms. Annie Chan, who delivered an engaging session titled “Entrepreneurship Knows No Bounds,” sharing her journey of creating a unique venture in career guidance and self-discovery through fingerprint analysis.

The event also marked the inauguration of the 4th edition of the Global Trade Certificate Course, jointly conducted by IWFCI–India and Pillai College, inaugurated by Ms. Diana Abruzzi and Dr. Daphne Pillai.

Capstone Day concluded GWTS 2025 on a high note of inspiration, empowerment, and global collaboration, reaffirming the summit’s mission to nurture the next generation of women leaders in trade, technology, and enterprise— positioning India as a global hub for women-led innovation and trade.

The organising committee of Dr. Rema Ramchandran, Dr. Celina Joy, Ms. Yvette Lee, Dr. Reni Francis, Ms. Deepika Sharma, Mr. Subodh Bagayatkar, Dr. Kavita Kathare, Ms. Ramya Kumar, Mr. Sunil Karunakaran, Mr. Archie D’Souza and Mr. Amey Nalawade were applauded for the stellar execution of the global summit. Our deep appreciation to our sponsors — Tally Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Pillai Group, Sundaram BPO, Federal Bank, Kansai Nerolac and FundsIndia — and to our gifting partners, Himalaya and Britannia, for their generous support and contribution to the success of this event.

The International Women’s Federation of Commerce and Industry (IWFCI) – India National Chapter is proud to host the Global Women’s Trade Summit 2025 (GWTS 2025) on 4th and 5th October, 2025, in Mumbai, India.

For details please contact ylee.iwfciindia@gmail.com

LAST DATE TO REGISTER: 5th September, 2025
Subject to visa approval for foreign delegates

We are thrilled to introduce our distinguished panelists for the first Panel Discussion at the Global Women’s Trade Summit (GWTS) 2025 on the topic “INDIA – Advantages and Opportunities for Trade and Commerce”.

Date: 4th October, 2025
Time: 12:15 pm

Our Panelists:
Ms. Bhavana Bindra, Board member- Radiance, Kennametal India, ASAL, Ex-Managing Director, REHAU SOA, Lubrizol IMEA
Ms. Geetha Nerurkar, Founder and CEO, Maxim Global Resources Pvt Ltd
Ms. Pallavi Gill, CEO, RCMPA Polishing Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

Moderator- Dr. Rema Ramchandran, Management Consultant & Director IWFCI-India

These inspiring women leaders bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table and set the tone for insightful discussions around India’s evolving trade landscape, key growth sectors, and emerging global opportunities.

Please note that prior registration is required to attend the event. Please contact ylee.iwfciindia@gmail.com

Get ready for an inspiring conversation with industry leaders at the Panel 2 Discussion of the Global Women’s Trade Summit 2025 (GWTS-2025)

Topic- “The Power of Collaboration: Women Leaders Driving Sustainable Businesses”

Date: 4th October 2025
Time: 2.15 pm

Meet the trailblazers who will be sharing their insights-
Ms. Jayati Chakraborty, Managing Director, Hapag-Lloyd AG
Dr. Mita Dixit, Co-founder & Director, Equations Advisors Pvt. Ltd.
Ms. Metilda Stanley, MD & CEO, Techsurance Private Limited

Moderator: Ms. Ann Rapheal, Oil & Gas Consultant, Former BD, Shell

These accomplished leaders bring a wealth of experience across industries. Expect bold ideas, real-world strategies and powerful stories of collaboration that are shaping the future of sustainable business.

Please note that prior registration is required to attend the event. Please contact ylee.iwfciindia@gmail.com

We are thrilled to announce CA Parinita Adukia, Founder, Portraiture, Image Consultant & Soft Skills Trainer, as the facilitator for our upcoming workshop, “Creating Your Brand in the World of AI” at the Global Women’s Trade Summit (GWTS- 2025).

With deep expertise in branding and emerging tech, Ms. Adukia will explore how AI is transforming the way we build, grow and position ourselves and our brands.

Date: 4th October, 2025
Time: 3.35 pm

Do not miss this opportunity to learn from the best!

Please note that prior registration is required to attend the event. Please contact ylee.iwfciindia@gmail.com.

Stay tuned for more updates and exciting announcements!

Meet our panelists for a high-impact discussion on “Emerging Opportunities for Women in Technology, Innovation & Global Trade” at the Global Women’s Trade Summit (GWTS-2025).

Priyanka Swain, Director of Engineering, Tally Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
Sonali Nimkar, Director (Data Science & AI), Capgemini
Anil Nair, Co-Founder, DeepSpot.AI

Moderator: Geetanjali Bhattacharji, Founder CEO, Glassbox Ventures

Date: 5th October, 2025
Time: 10:45 a.m.

These thought leaders will share insights on breaking barriers and driving innovation to unlock global opportunities.

Please note that prior registration is required to attend the event. Please contact ylee.iwfciindia@gmail.com.

Stay tuned for more updates and exciting announcements!

We are proud to introduce five inspiring leaders at IWFCI who will share their insights on how their respective countries harness unique strengths to thrive in global trade.

Join us for this dynamic discussion on ‘Empowered Women, Empowered Economies’ featuring:

Dr. Daphne Pillai, India
Ms. Daphne Pang, Australia
Ms. AngeeLia Phua, Singapore
Ms. Salwana Ali, Malaysia
Ms. Vino Pillay, South Africa

Date: 5th October, 2025
Time: 12:15 p.m.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable global perspectives!

Please note that prior registration is required to attend the event. Please contact ylee.iwfciindia@gmail.com.

Stay tuned for more updates and exciting announcements!