DBS Bank India, in collaboration with Deloitte Touche Tommatsu India LLP, has released a new report in its ‘Women and Finance’ research series.
The study, titled ‘Money Matters: Women’s Attitudes, Financial Agency and Habits across Life and Career Stages’, was conducted among 1,342 women from India, divided into South (36%), North (23%), East (14%) and West (27%), and yielded interesting insights on financial management among women entrepreneurs, high net worth women and rural women earning income.
The report explores their autonomy in financial decision-making, key drivers for financial activities, and life goals. It also examines their preferences for engaging with banks and digital financial apps, their views on career gaps, understanding of work-life balance, retirement planning, and long-term financial preparedness.
The study results indicate a growing trend among Indian women to make financial decisions themselves: Women entrepreneurs: 69% feel they are the primary decision-makers in financial matters.
Rural women earners: 60% of women make their own financial decisions. Affluent women: 58% make their own decisions. In South India, women entrepreneurs are more likely to make their own financial decisions than affluent women.
65% of female entrepreneurs surveyed in Coimbatore and 50% of women with financial means make financial decisions independently. This study confirms that modern Indian women, especially those in industrial cities like Coimbatore, are increasingly empowered in planning and managing their financial future.
All women in this category in Coimbatore said that the bank’s global operations influenced their decision. The majority (60%) of these said that it had a ‘very strong’ influence on their choice.
Divyesh Dalal, Managing Director and Head of India, Corporate Banking, Financial Institutions and Global Transaction Services for MSMEs, DBS Bank India, said,
“Insights from our latest ‘Women and Finance’ study underscore the increasing importance that female entrepreneurs place on a bank’s credibility and global operations when choosing a banking partner. This reflects how much they value trusted partners who can support their cross-border business dreams, provide access to international markets, and connect them to a broader business ecosystem.”
