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The Election Commission (EC) has determined the maximum amount that a candidate can spend for the National Assembly (NA) election.

The EC stated that a candidate for the NA election can spend up to Rs 350,000. As set by the EC spending limit, Rs 70,000 could be spent for vehicle rent, Rs 10,000 for fuel, Rs 1,500 for publicity materials and others.

Likewise, the other costs include Rs 10,000 for transportation, Rs 100,000 for seminar and interaction programs and Rs 14,500 for printing and electronic media.

The EC mentioned that Rs 70,000 could be spent for office management, Rs 30,000 for representative mobilization and Rs 30,000 for miscellaneous items.

The NA election is scheduled to take place on January 25, 2026.

The EC has also asked the candidates to open a separate bank account in banks and financial institutions for the NA election purpose and a responsible person should be named for the spending during the election.

After the completion of the poll, the candidates should submit the election cost to the EC as per the NA Member Election Act, 2075 BS.

A total of 125,766 voters were registered in Bhojpur district for the forthcoming House of Representatives (HoR) elections.

Chief of the District Election Office, Dikendra Subedi, confirmed that the updated voter's name list has been released, confirming 125,766 voters in Bhojpur.

The number of voters in the district increased by 2,387 for this poll compared to the last election. In the previous election, the number of voters in the district was 123,379, the District Election Office in Bhojpur said.

According to Subedi, male voters are 65,788 and women voters are 59,977, while one is 'other'.

Likewise, the District Election Office has released the data of voters of each local level.

As per the data, Bhojpur Municipality has 20,189 voters, 21,896 voters in Shadananda Municipality, 12,643 voters in Arun Rural Municipality and there are 12,444 voters in Amchowk Rural Municipality.

The Office stated that 10,663 voters were registered in Pauwadung Rural Municipality and 13,557 voters in Temkemaiyung Rural Municipality.

Likewise, the voters' number in Ramprasad Rai Rural Municipality is 11,900 and 8,724 voters in Salpasilichho Rural Municipality and 13,750 voters are recorded in Hatuwagadhi Rural Municipality, Subedi confirmed.

Subedi also stated that the Office is preparing for the upcoming HoR elections.

The Central Committee meeting of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has approved the unification agreement of RSP and Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah.

A meeting of the RSP Central Committee held last night endorsed the agreement forged between the RSP and Mayor Shah, RSP general secretary Kabindra Burlakoti said.

The meeting has also decided to work for good governance, prosperity, democracy and social justice through the implementation of the deal, which the party has termed a 'huge courage, sacrifice and reflection of hope' for national interests.

Earlier in the wee hours of Sunday, the RSP and Mayor Shah reached a seven-point agreement on various issues in the lead up to the March 5 elections to the House of Representatives.

The agreement was reached and signed by RSP President Rabi Lamichhane and Mayor Shah.

According to the agreement, the movement against corruption and ill governance waged by the youths shall be owned, and the demands of the injured and martyred families will be appropriately addressed.

Nepal’s foreign trade expanded sharply in the first five months of the current fiscal year 2025/26, driven by a strong rebound in exports and rising imports. However, the latest data also underline persistent structural weaknesses—most notably a widening trade deficit and growing dependence on a narrow range of export items.

According to figures released by the Department of Customs, Nepal’s total foreign trade reached Rs 882.69bn by mid-December, marking a 20.07 percent increase compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year. Imports stood at Rs 766.18bn, while exports amounted to Rs 116.5bn.

Although exports surged by an impressive 58.17 percent year-on-year, they accounted for just 13.2 percent of total trade, highlighting the country’s continued reliance on imports to meet domestic demand.

Ballooning trade deficit persists

Despite strong export growth, the trade deficit widened to Rs 649.68bn in five months.

Trade imbalances with Nepal’s two largest trading partners—India and China—remain particularly stark. Nepal incurred a trade deficit of over Rs 339.02bn with India during the review period. Imports from India totaled Rs 434.06bn, while exports were limited to Rs 95.04bn.

The situation with China was even more skewed. Nepal imported goods worth Rs 163.73bn from China but exported just Rs 46.68m, resulting in a trade deficit of Rs 163.26bn.

Nepal posted a trade surplus with only a handful of countries. Romania emerged as the top surplus destination, with Nepal recording a net trade gain of Rs 63.47m over the five-month period. Sweden and Iraq were among other countries where Nepal maintained a positive trade balance. However, trade volumes with these countries remained small.

Petroleum imports overtake total exports

For the first time this fiscal year, fuel imports have exceeded Nepal’s total export earnings. 

In the five-month period, Nepal spent Rs 121bn on fuel imports which surpassed total export earnings of Rs 116bn.

Petroleum products continue to dominate the import basket, reflecting Nepal’s heavy dependence on imported energy.  Nepal imported Rs 45.6bn worth of diesel, Rs 27.33bn worth of petrol and Rs 22.39bn worth of LPG, and Rs 8.34bn worth of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) during the period.  

The country also imported lube oil and petroleum bitumen, among others, during the period.

Heavy reliance on soybean oil exports

Soybean oil emerged as Nepal’s single largest export item, accounting for Rs 46.55bn in the first five months. This accounts for 40.12 percent of total exports. 

Nepal also exported sunflower oil worth Rs 3.73bn during the same period.

This export surge is largely driven by the duty-free access Nepal enjoys under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) in India. While India imposes high tariffs—up to 35.75 percent—on refined vegetable oils imported from third countries, Nepali products enter the Indian market at zero duty.

Taking advantage of this preferential access, Nepali firms import crude soybean and sunflower oil from global markets, refine them domestically, and re-export the finished products to India.

However, experts warn that this model is highly vulnerable. Any significant reduction in India’s tariffs on vegetable oils from other countries could erode Nepal’s competitive edge and potentially wipe out nearly half of its exports to India.

In the previous fiscal year, Nepal exported soybean oil worth Rs 106.79bn and sunflower oil worth Rs 12.33bn. Together, they accounted for 43 percent of total exports, underscoring the concentration risk in Nepal’s export profile.

Electric vehicle imports decline sharply

Electric vehicle (EV) imports fell sharply in the first five months of 2025/26, even as overall car imports edged up.

Customs data show EV imports declined by 23.55 percent to 3,800 units, down from 4,695 units a year earlier. The total value of EV imports stood at Rs 8.95bn which generated Rs 5.64bn in government revenue.

Importers attribute the decline largely to stockpiling at the end of the previous fiscal year amid expectations of tax changes.

In contrast, imports of petrol-powered vehicles surged. Petrol car imports rose by 50.68 percent to 2,801 units from 1,799 units a year earlier, indicating renewed interest in internal combustion engine vehicles—at least in the short term.

Argentina emerges as a major trade partner

Argentina has emerged as Nepal’s third-largest import source in the first five months of the fiscal year, after India and China. Nepal imported goods worth Rs 44.46bn from the South American nation during the period.

The bulk of these imports consisted of crude soybean oil for domestic refineries. 

Argentina has emerged as Nepal’s important trade partner in recent years. In 2024/25, Nepal imported Rs 99.3bn worth of goods from Argentina—nearly eight times higher than the Rs 12.38bn recorded in 2023/24.

Crude soybean oil alone accounted for Rs 88.91bn, or nearly 90 percent of imports from Argentina during the year, followed by crude sunflower oil worth Rs 8.89bn.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 1, 200 per tola in the domestic market on Friday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 269, 300 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 268, 100 per tola on Thursday.

Similarly, the price of silver has increased by Rs 1, 835 and is being traded at Rs 4, 585 per tola today.

The incumbent government has been effortful in creating an atmosphere for elections.

In a bid to enhance the environment for upcoming March 5 elections to the House of Representatives (HoR), the government has started consulting with top leaders of three key political parties, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Nepali Communist Party.

In this connection, Minister for Communication and Information Technology Jagadish Kharel is now holding a discussion with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba at the latter's residence, Maharajgunj.

According to the Minister Kharel's secretariat, he is scheduled to have separate discussions with CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Communist Party (NCP) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal today itself.

The second Ichchhakamana Orange Festival and Food Festival is beginning from today.

The festival is being organized jointly by the Chitwan Industry Association Ichchhakamana Committee and the Hotel Entrepreneurs Association Ichchhakamana Unit in Muglin Bazaar.

Ramhari Kandel, President of the Chitwan Industry Association Ichchhakamana Committee, stated that the festival is organized to attract both domestic and international tourists.

He added that there will be more than 50 stalls in the exhibition. As many as 100 farmers producing oranges in Ichchhakamana will directly benefit from the festival.

According to the organizers, the festival will contribute to the preservation and promotion of local arts, culture and traditions.

The festival will include various programs, such as interactions between expert farmers and people's representatives, and orange-eating competitions. Chairperson Kandel said that the festival in Muglin Bazaar is expected to help promote local products. 

Chair of Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality, Danbahadur Gurung said that farmers in the area are annually making transactions of Rs 9 million to 10 million from orange production.

With an 80.4 score, the United States tops the Asia Power Index, which is driven by unmatched military reach, alliance networks with Japan, South Korea, Australia and the Philippines, and dominant financial and technological influence. Despite domestic polarization, it remains Asia’s primary security guarantor and key player in trade, AI, and semiconductor supply chains.

According to the Lowy Institute Asia Power Index Nepal ranks 25 among the 27 countries of Asia, with an overall score of 5.0 out of 100. The report says that Nepal is a minor power in Asia. Nepal’s scores rose slightly by 0.2 points to five in 2025.

Nepal’s strongest measure is cultural influence, where it places 21st. Its weakest measure is diplomatic influence, where it dropped one place to second-last. Nepal exerts less influence in the region than expected given its available resources, as indicated by the country’s negative power gap score, which increased since 2024, the report says.

China scores 73.7, reflecting vast economic weight, world‑leading manufacturing, and rapid naval and air‑power expansion. Its Belt and Road Initiative, trade ties, and assertive posture in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait underpin influence, though slowing growth and pushback from neighbours and the US temper its rise.

China, the only peer competitor to the United States in what remains a bipolar distribution of power in Asia, appears well prepared and confident in its responses to US economic coercive policies, retaliating with its own tariffs and export controls. Beijing has also successfully positioned itself to regional countries as a reliable partner opposing protectionism and unilateralism, benefiting from uncertainty about the Trump administration’s approach to Asia.

Russia’s power in Asia is resurging, aided by support from other authoritarian revisionist powers, in particular China and North Korea. The closer collaboration between these countries—on full display during China’s 2025 Victory Day Parade—will continue to challenge the United States and its allies.

 Caught between the two superpowers, and anxious about rising tensions and protectionism, Southeast Asian countries are trying to assert their own influence. Under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia has cut a more prominent profile internationally, even before it assumed the rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2025. Other Southeast Asian middle powers have been less well able to project influence: Thailand has been preoccupied with its border conflict with Cambodia. And while Indonesia’s new president, Prabowo Subianto, is more interested in diplomacy than his predecessor, his efforts have been focused globally rather than regionally.

India’s 40.0 score makes it the third most powerful country in Asia and the only “major power” category state. Strong economic growth, a huge population, an expanding blue‑water navy, and a central role in the Quad and Indian Ocean security lift its clout, even as infrastructure gaps and internal inequalities remain constraints.