She also remembered the young Pakistani victim Malala Yousafzai while addressing the gathering at the annual WEF meeting.

"I dedicate the moment (of addressing WEF annual meet) to Malala, daughter of Pakistan, and another daughter in India (rape case)," International Monetary Fund chief Lagarde said.

Touching upon India, the IMF Managing Director emphasised that the expectations of Indian women must be met and rued that policymakers had failed to pay attention to the crucial issues of equitable distribution and gender equality.

"... But you will ask what it has to do with economy. It is indeed about economy and equality and bringing in prosperity. No policymakers have paid enough to the fact that more equal distribution of income bringing in better. Gender inequality is also very important and the policymakers have not paid enough attention to either of the two. The fact is when women do better the country does better and policymakers need to understand this," Lagarde said.

In a case that had shocked the nation and triggered protests in India, a 23-year-old student was gangraped in a moving bus in New Delhi on December 16 last year and later he died at a hospital in Singapore.

Earlier in October, Pakistani teenage activist Malala became that target of Taliban militants. She was shot in the head for campaigning for girls' education and had to be flown to the UK for medical treatment.

Lagarde ended her speech by saying that she wants to see more respect for daughters in India and Pakistan.