Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Nepal received more than Rs 2,100 billion in remittances during the first 11 months of fiscal year 2025/26, a 38.2% year-on-year increase, according to the latest macroeconomic report released by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) on Monday.
The ‘Current Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Report’ shows remittance inflows reached a record Rs 2,120.80 billion between mid-July 2025 and mid-June 2026, up from Rs 1,534.16 billion in the corresponding period, when remittances had increased by 15.6%.
In the month of Jestha (mid-May to mid-June) alone, Nepal received Rs 203.89 billion in remittances. Total remittances received in the same month last year stood at Rs 176.32 billion.
In US dollar terms, remittance inflows were up 29.6% to $14.59 billion. In the same period of the previous fiscal year, remittances in US dollar terms had gone up by 12.8%.
Meanwhile, the sharp rise in remittance earnings has helped push the country’s net secondary income, which largely comprises workers’ remittances, to Rs 2,321.07 billion. Net service income in the same period of last year stood at Rs 1,669.51 billion.
Net services income deficit also narrowed to Rs 72.54 billion from Rs 82.78 billion a year earlier. Travel income remained almost unchanged at Rs 82.22 billion, while travel payments declined 4.7% to Rs 193.65 billion. However, spending on education abroad rose 6% to Rs 132.23 billion.
The strong remittances flow has strengthened Nepal’s external sector significantly. The country’s current account surplus more than doubled to Rs 802.06 billion during the review period from a surplus of Rs 321.74 billion a year earlier. In US dollar terms, the surplus widened to $5.53 billion from $2.37 billion.
Similarly, the balance of payments (BoP) surplus climbed to Rs 926.06 billion, nearly double the Rs 491.44 billion recorded in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. In US dollar terms, the BoP surplus increased to $6.39 billion from $3.62 billion.
Forex reserves expand 40.3% to Rs 3,755.64 billion
Nepal’s gross foreign exchange reserves increased by 40.3% to Rs 3,755.64 billion in mid-June 2026 from Rs 2,677.68 billion in mid-July 2025. In US dollar terms, reserves rose 26.5% to $24.68 billion.
Of the total reserves, those held by the central bank increased by 37.9% to Rs 3,330.07 billion, while reserves held by banks and financial institutions surged 61.8% to Rs 425.57 billion.
The foreign exchange reserves are sufficient to finance 22.5 months of merchandise imports and 19.1 months of combined merchandise and services imports, according to the central bank.
