New Delhi: Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies, Damodar Bhandari, has announced that foreign investors can now apply for investment in Nepal up to Rs 500 million from abroad. Speaking at the plenary session of the two-day 29th Partnership Summit, which began today in New Delhi, India, Bhandari highlighted that Nepal has implemented an automated pre-approval system for foreign investment proposals through an online platform.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the threshold for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has been reduced to Rs 20 million from Rs 50 million, with no threshold requirement for investments in the IT sector. Bhandari emphasized the focus on policy and legal improvements to promote trade in Nepal, offering registration and facilities to investors. A One Stop Service Center (OSSC) has been established, consolidating 14 agencies under one roof to streamline services.
Bhandari reassured potential investors that foreign investments in Nepal are yielding substantial profits and note
d the country’s liberal and open market policies, which are evident in its commitments to multilateral, regional, and bilateral agreements. He expressed optimism that discussions at the Summit would lead to sustainable development, innovation, technology transfer, and prosperity.
The minister extended an invitation to the global business community to collaborate with Nepal in exploring opportunities for new technologies and expertise. He highlighted Nepal’s significant investment potential in sectors such as tourism, hydropower, agriculture, medicine, aromatic plants, IT, and manufacturing. Bhandari also mentioned Nepal’s capacity to export electricity to neighboring India and Bangladesh under bilateral and trilateral agreements.
Furthermore, Bhandari emphasized Nepal’s priority on its consolidated and historic relations with India, rooted in shared history and cultural and economic interdependence. Prior to his address, Indian Minister Piyush Goyal welcomed Minister Bhandari to the Summit.