Nepal has unveiled an updated economic plan targeting exports worth 20 percent of GDP within two years, a move designed to significantly narrow the country's persistent trade deficit.
The strategy focuses on boosting export volumes and diversifying both product lines and destination markets to reduce reliance on imports.
1% for the upcoming fiscal year, falling short of the government's official target of 6.
However, the aggressive timeline has drawn sharp criticism from local economists and exporters, who argue that the target is unrealistic given current structural constraints.
Industry stakeholders point to entrenched policy bottlenecks that continue to hinder competitiveness and limit the ability to scale production for international markets.
The debate over the feasibility of the export drive mirrors broader challenges across South and Southeast Asia, where governments are grappling with the gap between ambitious growth targets and on-the-ground economic realities.
Recent data from the region highlights this tension: Bangladesh Bank recently issued a GDP growth projection of 6.1% for the upcoming fiscal year, falling short of the government's official target of 6.5%.