Title: Connecting realms: investigating the interplay of financial and social inclusion in India

Authors: Kashif Iqbal Siddiqui; Taufeeque Ahmad Siddiqui

Addresses: Centre for Distance and Online Education, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India ' Department of Management Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India

Abstract: Financial and social inclusion are emerging as critical facilitators of economic growth and development that significantly drive away poverty. The purpose of this paper is to model and quantify the link between financial and social inclusion. Data were collected, and the hypotheses of this study were analysed using PLS-SEM through SmartPLS software. The findings from the study showed that financial inclusion has a significant and positive effect on social inclusion. Given the limited existing research on this topic, this paper contributes by establishing connections between distinct dimensions of financial and social inclusion, offering guidance for future research. The insights gleaned from this study can assist financial service providers, policymakers, and regulators in crafting more effective financial products and social inclusion policies aimed at serving marginalised communities.

Keywords: financial inclusion; India; SmartPLS; social inclusion; structural equation modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMFA.2025.148913

International Journal of Managerial and Financial Accounting, 2025 Vol.17 No.4, pp.387 - 398

Received: 22 Dec 2022
Accepted: 01 Dec 2023
Published online: 02 Oct 2025 *

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