Export to Nepal

Nepal buys a large share of its everyday goods from India — food, fuel, medicines, vehicles, building material and consumer goods. Goods go by truck through border points such as Raxaul–Birgunj or by rail to the Birgunj dry port. Because payment can be in Indian rupees and the language and business customs are familiar, it suits small first-time exporters from UP, Bihar and West Bengal.

What it buys from India

• Petroleum products, iron and steel
• Rice, vegetables, spices and processed food
• Vehicles, auto parts, machinery and electrical goods
• Medicines, cement, garments and plastic goods

Import rules on their side

• Nepal customs charges import duty and VAT at the border; clearance is through the importer's customs agent at the Nepal side.
• Food, plants and plant products need an Indian phytosanitary or health certificate and pass Nepal's quarantine and food-quality checks at the border.
• Medicines must be registered with Nepal's drug regulator before they can be sold there.

Practical tips

• Even in rupee trade, follow the normal export process — shipping bill, invoice and bank-routed payment — so your export is recorded and you can claim benefits.
• Work with a reliable clearing agent on both sides of the border; a missing document can hold trucks for days.
• Nepal sometimes restricts imports of certain goods to save foreign exchange; check with the buyer before producing a large order.