Reducing gender gap can help India boost GDP: Ivanka

Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trump's daughter, today said reducing gender gap in the labour force by half can help boost Indian economy by over USD 150 billion in the next three years and reiterated her father's words that "India has a true friend in the White House".
Speaking at the 8th annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit here, she said the conference is symbolic of growing partnership between India and the US.
"Just consider if India closes the labour force gender gap by half, your economy could grow by over USD 150 billion dollars in the next three years," she said.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the dais, she congratulated Indians on celebrating 70 years of Independence. "You are celebrating it as the world's largest democracy, and one of the fastest growing economies on the earth," the advisor to the US President added.
She also showered lavish praise on Modi who is "doing to build India as a thriving economy -- a beacon of democracy -- and a symbol of hope to the world. What you are achieving is truly extraordinary".
"What you are achieving is truly extraordinary... from your childhood selling tea to election as India's Prime Minister," Ivanka said.

"Through your own enterprise, entrepreneurship and hard work, the people of India have lifted more than 130 million citizens out of poverty -- a remarkable improvement, and one I know will continue to grow under the leadership of the Prime Minister," she added.

In a speech that was punctuated by loud cheers from the audience, she lauded Modi for his firm belief that "the progress of humanity is incomplete without the empowerment of women".
India, Ivanka noted, has opened new universities, its doctors and scientists are discovering medical cures and life-saving technologies, its engineers and architects have built modern wonders that grace skies, and Indian spacecraft have travelled to the Moon and the Mars.

"The people of India inspire us all," she said.
According to Ivanka, India hosting the Global Entrepreneurship Summit is "a symbol of the strengthened friendship between our two peoples, and the growing economic and security partnership between our two nations. As President Trump said earlier this year India has a true friend in the White House".
The Summit, she said further, is a celebration of what is happening in India and the US as also all over the world: entrepreneurs are revolutionising our economies and improving our societies. "You are rewriting the rules," she emphasised.
India, she said, is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and has a true friend in the White House.