Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Smartphone imports rose sharply in the first half of the current fiscal year 2025/26, increasing by 12.5% in volume and 40% in value compared to the same period last year, according to customs data.
During the first six months of 2025/26, Nepal imported 1,252,634 smartphones worth Rs 23.29 billion. The government collected Rs 4.34 billion in customs revenue from these imports. The average declared unit price stood at Rs 18,592.82.
In comparison, 1,111,556 units worth Rs 16.71 billion were imported in the first half of the previous fiscal year, generating Rs 3.11 billion in customs revenue. Overall, customs revenue from smartphone imports increased by Rs 1.23 billion during the review period.
China remained Nepal’s largest source of smartphones in the first half of the current fiscal year. Imports from China totalled 1,061,045 units valued at Rs 18.52 billion, generating Rs 3.45 billion in customs revenue.
In the same period last fiscal year, imports from China stood at 859,425 units, valued at Rs 11.59 billion, with customs revenue of Rs 2.16 billion.
Imports from India, Nepal’s second-largest source market for smartphones, declined during the review period. Customs data show that Nepal imported 186,703 units from India worth Rs 4.46 billion, generating Rs 831.78 million in customs revenue.
By contrast, in the first six months of 2024/25, imports from India totalled 248,171 units valued at Rs 4.82 billion, with customs revenue of Rs 899.95 million. While the decline in import value was modest, the drop in volume was more pronounced.
In the previous fiscal year, Nepal imported 2,184,694 smartphones worth Rs 35.54 billion, from which the government collected Rs 6.62 billion in customs revenue. Of this, 1,751,823 units, worth Rs 24.91 billion, came from China, while 424,844 units, worth Rs 10.03 billion, were imported from India.
With more than 1.25 million units already imported in just six months, officials say the current fiscal year is on track to surpass total smartphone imports recorded in the previous fiscal year.
