Nepal's foreign exchange reserves triple in five years
Summary
Nepal’s foreign exchange reserves have nearly tripled in five years to Rs 3.946 trillion, supported by remittances, tourism earnings, foreign aid and lower import growth. The rising reserves have strengthened the country’s ability to finance imports, repay external debt and stabilise the currency market.
Key Points
- Nepal’s foreign exchange reserves rose to Rs 3.946 trillion by mid-August 2026, up from Rs 1.216 trillion at the end of FY 2021/22.
- Nepal Rastra Bank said the increase has improved the country’s capacity to meet external obligations and finance imports.
- Former NRB executive director Nar Bahadur Thapa said strong reserves support national development by helping import goods, raw materials and technology.
- Stakeholders caution that reserve growth driven mainly by remittances and lower imports must be backed by production, exports and domestic industry.
