The Nepal Trade Map
Nepal traded with 162 countries in fiscal year 2025/26 (2082/83 BS), importing NPR 2.096 trillion and exporting NPR 315.29 billion — a deficit of NPR 1.78 trillion and an import-to-export ratio of 6.65 to 1. It ran a deficit with 134 partners and a surplus with 28. Select any country for its dossier.
Nepal deficitNepal surplus · ■ Nepal
LowHigh imports into Nepal
LowHigh exports from Nepal
Scroll or pinch to zoom, drag to pan. Country shapes are simplified for speed — this is a schematic, not a survey map. Values always shown as numbers as well as colour.
Select any shaded country — on the map, or through the search box — to see what Nepal buys from it, what it sells back, and how lopsided the relationship is.
Keyboard: Tab moves between countries, Enter opens the dossier, Escape closes it. The full dataset is also in the table below.
Nepal's trade with every major partner, FY 2025/26
The same data as the map, as a table. Values in NPR billions. Imports are customs values at CIF; exports at FOB.
| Country | Nepal imports | Nepal exports | Balance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 1210.00 | 258.65 | −951.35 | Nepal deficit |
| China | 425.24 | 1.89 | −423.35 | Nepal deficit |
| Argentina | 116.38 | 0.00 | −116.38 | Nepal deficit |
| United Arab Emirates | 52.16 | 1.60 | −50.56 | Nepal deficit |
| United States | 32.71 | 20.77 | −11.94 | Nepal deficit |
| Indonesia | 22.18 | 0.15 | −22.03 | Nepal deficit |
| Australia | 20.39 | 2.12 | −18.27 | Nepal deficit |
| Thailand | 18.36 | 0.42 | −17.94 | Nepal deficit |
| Brazil | 17.76 | 0.02 | −17.74 | Nepal deficit |
| Malaysia | 15.50 | 0.38 | −15.12 | Nepal deficit |
| Japan | 11.40 | 2.30 | −9.10 | Nepal deficit |
| Saudi Arabia | 11.20 | 0.35 | −10.85 | Nepal deficit |
| Ukraine | 9.80 | 0.01 | −9.79 | Nepal deficit |
| South Korea | 9.60 | 0.90 | −8.70 | Nepal deficit |
| Germany | 9.20 | 4.98 | −4.22 | Nepal deficit |
| Qatar | 8.40 | 0.28 | −8.12 | Nepal deficit |
| Vietnam | 8.10 | 0.22 | −7.88 | Nepal deficit |
| Singapore | 7.90 | 1.20 | −6.70 | Nepal deficit |
| Canada | 6.80 | 1.70 | −5.10 | Nepal deficit |
| Russia | 6.20 | 0.40 | −5.80 | Nepal deficit |
| Türkiye | 5.60 | 1.30 | −4.30 | Nepal deficit |
| United Kingdom | 5.10 | 3.22 | −1.88 | Nepal deficit |
| Switzerland | 4.60 | 0.62 | −3.98 | Nepal deficit |
| Italy | 4.20 | 1.85 | −2.35 | Nepal deficit |
| Bangladesh | 4.10 | 1.10 | −3.00 | Nepal deficit |
| France | 3.90 | 2.21 | −1.69 | Nepal deficit |
| Kuwait | 3.80 | 0.10 | −3.70 | Nepal deficit |
| Netherlands | 3.40 | 1.55 | −1.85 | Nepal deficit |
| New Zealand | 3.20 | 0.25 | −2.95 | Nepal deficit |
| Spain | 3.10 | 0.85 | −2.25 | Nepal deficit |
| Oman | 2.90 | 0.08 | −2.82 | Nepal deficit |
| Belgium | 2.80 | 0.70 | −2.10 | Nepal deficit |
| Poland | 2.60 | 0.35 | −2.25 | Nepal deficit |
| South Africa | 2.40 | 0.18 | −2.22 | Nepal deficit |
| Israel | 2.20 | 0.15 | −2.05 | Nepal deficit |
| Sri Lanka | 2.10 | 0.55 | −1.55 | Nepal deficit |
| Sweden | 2.10 | 0.42 | −1.68 | Nepal deficit |
| Austria | 1.90 | 0.55 | −1.35 | Nepal deficit |
| Bhutan | 1.80 | 0.40 | −1.40 | Nepal deficit |
| Kazakhstan | 1.70 | 0.03 | −1.67 | Nepal deficit |
| Mexico | 1.60 | 0.30 | −1.30 | Nepal deficit |
| Pakistan | 1.40 | 0.30 | −1.10 | Nepal deficit |
| Philippines | 1.30 | 0.06 | −1.24 | Nepal deficit |
| Myanmar | 1.20 | 0.08 | −1.12 | Nepal deficit |
| Egypt | 1.10 | 0.12 | −0.98 | Nepal deficit |
| Brunei | 0.40 | 0.02 | −0.38 | Nepal deficit |
| Norway | 0.03 | 0.12 | +0.09 | Nepal surplus |
| Denmark | 0.02 | 1.02 | +1.00 | Nepal surplus |
| Romania | 0.01 | 0.05 | +0.04 | Nepal surplus |
| Iceland | 0.00 | 0.03 | +0.03 | Nepal surplus |
Source: Nepal Department of Customs, Foreign Trade Statistics FY 2025/26 (2082/83 BS), compiled from 24 ASYCUDA-linked offices. Figures are preliminary and subject to revision. Electricity and IT service exports sit outside the merchandise table and are counted separately.
What Nepal buys and what it sells
Fuel alone costs more than everything Nepal exports. And the single largest export — refined soybean oil at NPR 128.74 billion, 41% of all exports — is a refined product made from an imported raw material.
| Commodity | Value | Share of imports |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 172.43 | 8.23% |
| Crude soybean oil | 132.77 | 6.33% |
| Petrol | 77.26 | 3.69% |
| LPG cooking gas | 60.28 | 2.88% |
| Iron & steel raw material | 58.52 | 2.79% |
| Smartphones (2.26m handsets) | 48.69 | 2.32% |
| Medicine | 29.15 | 1.39% |
| Gold | 26.78 | 1.28% |
| Silver | ~21.00 | ~1.00% |
| Commodity | Value | Share of exports |
|---|---|---|
| Refined soybean oil | 128.74 | 41.00% |
| Large cardamom | 12.64 | 4.01% |
| Polyester yarn | ~9.90 | 3.14% |
| Refined sunflower oil | 8.94 | 2.84% |
| Jute fabric | 7.14 | 2.26% |
| Woollen carpets | 6.73 | 2.13% |
| Refined palm oil | 6.67 | 2.12% |
| Fruit juice | 4.74 | 1.50% |
| Dog chew from chhurpi | 4.19 | 1.33% |
The structural risk in one sentence. Nepal imports crude edible oil in US dollars and exports the refined version to India in Indian rupees. Roughly 41% of export earnings rest on that spread, and in June 2025 India halved its customs duty on crude palm, soybean and sunflower oil from 20% to 10%, compressing the arbitrage that created the trade.
Where goods physically cross
Nepal is landlocked, and nearly half of everything it imports enters through a single customs post at Birgunj. This is why we route most consignments through Raxaul–Birgunj and quote Bhairahawa or Biratnagar when the delivery district makes them faster.
| Customs point | Indian side | Share of import value | Share of export value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birgunj | Raxaul | 46.9% | 36.43% |
| Bhairahawa | Sunauli | 14.51% | — |
| Biratnagar | Jogbani | 11.54% | >28% |
| Tribhuvan International Airport | Air freight | 9.71% | ~12% |
- Promise
- Delivery to all 77 districts
- Dispatch
- From Kathmandu after clearance
- Fastest
- Bagmati · 1–2 days
- Longest
- Karnali · 5–7 days
All 77 districts, and what that actually takes
"All 77 districts" is a claim worth checking, so here is the evidence. Hover or tab through a province to see the indicative delivery time after dispatch from Kathmandu, and the hubs we route through.
Indicative delivery time after dispatch from Kathmandu, plus the hubs we route through. Full district list is in the table below.
| Province | Lead time | Hubs | Districts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sudurpashchim | 4–6 days | Dhangadhi, Mahendranagar | 9 districts |
| Karnali | 5–7 days | Birendranagar (Surkhet) | 10 districts |
| Lumbini | 3–4 days | Butwal, Nepalgunj, Bhairahawa | 12 districts |
| Gandaki | 2–3 days | Pokhara | 11 districts |
| Bagmati | 1–2 days | Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bharatpur, Hetauda | 13 districts |
| Madhesh | 2–3 days | Birgunj, Janakpur | 8 districts |
| Koshi | 3–4 days | Biratnagar, Dharan, Itahari | 14 districts |
Schematic map, not to survey scale — it shows province order and relative position, not borders. Lead times are indicative and vary with season, road conditions and consignment size. Total is 77 districts across seven provinces.
Indicative landed cost calculator
Nepal assesses customs duty on the CIF value — goods plus freight and insurance to the border — then charges 13% VAT on the CIF value plus the duty. Because freight sits inside CIF, expensive shipping raises the duty bill as well as the transport bill. Enter your numbers to see the stack.
This is an illustration, not a quote. Duty bands shown are typical for the category, not your specific tariff line. Confirm the current rate against the Nepal National Single Window tariff search at nnsw.gov.np or the Department of Customs Tariff for the current fiscal year. Rates change with each Finance Act.
- Two directions
- India → Nepal: duty payable
- Nepal → India: 0% BCD, IGST applies
- Services
- Customs clearance
- Export facilitation
Using the corridor for something other than bags
This form goes to the trade desk rather than the product desk. Use it for customs clearance on goods you bought elsewhere, India sourcing, warehousing in Nepal, or selling Nepali-made goods into India.
Questions about Nepal's trade data
Which country does Nepal import most from?
India. Nepal imported roughly NPR 1,210 billion from India in FY 2025/26, about 58% of its total import bill, and exported NPR 258.65 billion back — over 82% of all Nepali exports.
Which customs point handles the most trade?
Birgunj, opposite Raxaul, handled 46.9% of Nepal's total import value and 36.43% of export value in FY 2025/26. Bhairahawa took 14.51% of imports, Biratnagar 11.54% and Tribhuvan International Airport 9.71%.
Does Nepal run a surplus with any country?
Yes, with 28 of its 162 trading partners in FY 2025/26. The largest is with Denmark, at roughly NPR 804.5 million, where Nepal exported about NPR 1.02 billion against imports of NPR 21.62 million.
How much duty will my goods pay entering Nepal?
Nepal applies customs duty between 0% and 80% on CIF value depending on the tariff line, plus 13% VAT on CIF plus duty. India-origin goods receive a preferential rebate off the MFN rate under the Treaty of Trade but are not duty-free. Confirm your line on nnsw.gov.np.