Nepal’s exports to India jump 138% in Q1 FY26
Nepal shipped goods valued at 59.12 billion rupees to India between mid-July and mid-October, a 138 percent jump from the same months last year when exports totaled just 24.85 billion rupees. The Department of Commerce reported on Monday that processed soybean oil accounted for more than half the sales at 30.69 billion rupees as manufacturers exploited tariff advantages under regional trade rules.
India charges 35.75 percent duty on refined oils from most countries but allows Nepali products to enter free under the South Asian Free Trade Area agreement. Nepalese processors import crude oil from abroad, refine it domestically and send finished products south across the border.
Trade expert Rabi Shankar Sainju warned the boom could collapse if India cuts tariffs on imports from other nations. India represents 81 percent of Nepal’s total exports while China accounted for only 186.42 million rupees despite sharing a long northern border.
