Nepal Eases Foreign Investment Rules to Attract Global Investors.

Nepal's Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies, Damodar Bhandari, announced that foreign investors can now apply to invest up to Rs 500 million from abroad. Speaking at the 29th Partnership Summit in New Delhi, India, Bhandari highlighted the introduction of an automated online platform for foreign investment proposals. He also shared that the minimum Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) requirement has been lowered to Rs 20 million, down from Rs 50 million, and there is no threshold for investments in the IT sector.

Bhandari emphasized Nepal’s efforts to improve policies and legal frameworks to boost trade. He mentioned the creation of a One Stop Service Center (OSSC), bringing together 14 agencies under one roof to make investment processes smoother. He also assured that foreign investments in Nepal have been profitable, and the country’s open market policies are reflected in its international agreements.

He invited global investors to explore opportunities in sectors such as tourism, hydropower, agriculture, IT, and manufacturing. Bhandari also highlighted Nepal’s priority to strengthen its historical ties with India. Indian Minister Piyush Goyal welcomed Bhandari before his address.