In fintech, we might say that data is neutral. That algorithms do not discriminate. But the reality is—products that are not designed with women in mind are not neutral.

Throughout the MSME credit ecosystem, we still see products that are tailored for a default borrower profile typically male, collateral-backed, digitally literate, and formally documented. This design does not capture the real life of the majority of women entrepreneurs in India.

Gender-blind products dismiss the subtleties that matter. Women-headed businesses might function off-balance sheet, lend at smaller ticket sizes, don’t have title to land—but these aspects significantly define their credit profiles and repayment actions.

Gender-intentional products, on the other hand, are created keeping those realities in mind. They don’t define women as the exception to an existing system—they redefine the system to encompass women, without a separate label.

At PSL Association, we applaud this change—from gender-blind to gender-intentional. It is not merely a matter of fairness. It’s about unleashing opportunities. India is sitting on a $1.47 trillion priority sector lending market. $735 billion of that remains to be unleashed. We cannot afford to leave half the market behind. If scale is serious for fintech, then gender-intentional lending cannot be a nice-to-have. It must be at the center of product strategy, underwriting innovation, and inclusive growth.

Because inclusion isn’t an add-on. It’s an essential.