Smartphone imports up in 3 months

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Nov. 9: Nepal has witnessed a significant rise in smartphone imports during the first three months of the current fiscal year 2025/26.

According to the Department of Customs, a total of 804,860 smartphones, valued at over Rs. 13.62 billion, were imported between mid-July and mid-October 2025 of the current fiscal year. 

In terms of value, mobile phone imports have surged by 38.55 per cent, and in terms of quantity by 23 per cent, during the review period compared to the same period last fiscal year. The government has collected revenue of Rs. 2.5 billion from the import of such numbers of mobile phones during the first three months of the current fiscal year.

About 655,631 smartphones worth Rs. 9.83 billion had been imported during the first three months of the last fiscal year 2024/25. The government had collected revenue of Rs. 1.83 billion from the import of mobile during the first three months of the last fiscal year.

Over the past fiscal years, smartphone imports have shown steady growth. In fiscal year 2024/25, Nepal imported 2,184,694 smartphones worth Rs. 35.54 billion, while in fiscal year 2023/24, 1,839,035 smartphones valued at Rs. 28.66 billion were imported.

During the review period, smartphones are imported from 38 different countries.

According to the Department, smartphones are imported from countries such as Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Canada, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon and Malaysia.

Similarly, phones are also imported from Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.

The largest number of smartphones are imported from China. A total of 700,296 smartphones worth Rs. 10.76 billion have been imported from China during the first three months of the current fiscal year. 

The government collected revenue of Rs. 2 billion while importing mobiles from China only.

The share of China to the total import of smartphones stood at 87 per cent in terms of quantity and 79 per cent in terms of value.

In addition, the data shows that the second largest number of imports came from India. A total of 103402 phones worth Rs. 2.75 billion were imported from India and the government collected revenue of Rs. 514 million. 

Similarly, a total of 290 smartphones worth Rs. 245 million were imported from United Arab Emirates, 265 smartphones worth Rs. 20 million from Japan, 192 smartphones worth Rs. 20 million imported from United States and 115 smartphones worth Rs. 12 million from Australia.