Nepal’s trade deficit for the first seven months of the current fiscal year escalated to over 811 bln rupees despite governmental efforts to curb it, marking a slight reduction of 1.77% from the previous year. The period saw a 2.31% decrease in imports and a more significant 7.07% drop in exports. Meanwhile, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) faced increased costs, paying up to 16 rupees/unit for electricity imported from India during the dry season following a tariff hike by the Indian authorities.