KATHMANDU:- The import of smartphones has increased significantly during the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2025/26, with devices worth over Rs. 26.86 billion brought into the country.

According to the statistics of the Department of Customs, a total of 1,414,938 smartphones worth Rs. 26.86 billion have been imported during the review period.

The government has collected revenue of around Rs. 4.97 billion from the import of mobile phones during the first seven months of the current fiscal year.

In terms of value, smartphone imports increased by 40.56 per cent, while in terms of quantity, imports surged by 15.3 per cent during the review period compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.

A total of 1,229,957 smartphones worth Rs. 18.98 billion had been imported during the first seven months of the last fiscal year 2024/25.

The government had collected revenue of Rs. 3.53 billion from the import of mobiles during the first seven months of the last fiscal year.

The country imported 2,184,694 smartphones worth Rs. 35.54 billion during the last fiscal year 2024/25, while 1,839,035 smartphones worth Rs. 28.66 billion were imported during the last fiscal year 2023/24.

Likewise, 1,569,596 smartphones worth Rs. 24.39 billion had been imported in the fiscal year 2022/23.

During the review period, smartphones were imported from more than 50 countries.

According to the Department, smartphones are imported from countries such as Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bhutan, Cambodia, Canada, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait and Lebanon.

Similarly, the smartphones are imported from Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America and Viet Nam.

The largest number of smartphones is imported from China.

According to the statistics, a total of 1,204,577 smartphones worth Rs. 21.32 billion have been imported from China during the first seven months of the current fiscal year.

Similarly, around 204,658 smartphones worth Rs. 4.95 billion were imported from India.

In terms of quantity, about 85 per cent of the total imported smartphones come from China, while 15 per cent come from India.

Similarly, a total of 755 smartphones worth Rs. 73.2 million have been imported from the United Arab Emirates, 742 smartphones worth Rs. 88.9 million from the United States of America, and 729 smartphones worth Rs. 61 million from Japan have been imported during the review period.

Similarly, a total of 325 smartphones worth Rs. 24 million were imported from South Korea, and 127 smartphones worth Rs. 13 million were imported from the United Kingdom during the first seven months of the current fiscal year.