Nepal, a nation where aviation could have stoodstill during the Gen-Z protests had Tribhuvan International Airport been torched by the 2000 or so people who intended to do so, has seen an increase of 357.7% in imports of aircraft spare parts, reported NepseTrading. For a nation that has such a small aviation sector as Nepal (even the flag carrier of this nation has only two widebody and two narrowbody aircraft), this is a meteoric rise in the import of spare parts.
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Nepal Airlines, the nation’s flag carrier was recently declared as the topmost carrier in February transporting people in and out of Tribhuvan International Airport, and news of rise in import of aviation spare part might bode good news for the aviation sector of the nation.
An Overview of Aircraft Spare Parts Imports in 2025/2026 in Nepal
The numbers behind the surge of aircraft spare parts in Nepal for the first two months of the fiscal year 2025/2026 is staggering to say the least: Nepal imported parts worth $28.74 million (Rs. 4.06 billion). Compared to the fiscal year 2024/2025 where Nepal imported aircraft spare parts worth $6.135 million (Rs. 886.6 million). This is a rise of nearly 468%.
Let’s have a look at the data in the following table to compare the aviation sector with other fields in the nation:
| Category | FY 2024/25 (First Two Months) | FY 2025/26 (First Two Months) | Year-on-Year Change (%) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Spare Parts | Rs. 886.6 million | Rs. 4.06 billion | +357.7% | Highest year-on-year growth among major import categories |
| Chemical Fertilizers | NG | NG | +68.1% | Among fastest-growing import categories |
| Transport Equipment | NG | NG | +31.7% | Significant rise reflecting infrastructure investment |
| Telecommunication Equipment | NG | NG | +29.1% | Driven by digital infrastructure expansion |
| Total Imports (All Categories) | NG | Rs. 305.15 billion | +16.2% | Overall import growth for Nepal in first two months of FY 2025/26 |
The data might just indicate that the aviation sector of Nepal is undergoing some major overhaul. Nepal has a relatively fewer number of planes. Its neighboring country India, for example, has a budget carrier (which is the largest carrier in India) named Indigo, which operates more than 400 aircraft – a number which is almost eight times the total number of aircraft in Nepal. China’s largest carrier, China Southern, on the other hand has nearly 700 aircraft in its fleet.
Nepal has a checkered aviation safety record, and in particular one of its aerodrome, Lukla Airport is considered to be the most dangerous airport in the world. Crashes in this airport, as well as in other airports such as the crash of Yeti Airlines Flight 691 near Pokhara International Airport, don’t help in Nepal’s image as a dangerous nation to fly in and out of.
Lukla: 5 Fast Facts About The World’s Most Dangerous Airport
After the recent overthrow of the Nepalese government in the Gen-Z protests, many people are hopeful that the corruption-laden aviation sector of Nepal might see some dramatic changes. After all, during the acquisition of the Airbus A330 widebody jet, Nepal Airlines was mired in a corruption scandal worth millions of dollars. Corruption charges have also surfaced in the construction of an almost deserted Pokhara International Airport.
So, observers have noted that the high import of aircraft spare parts might just prove that the much-needed aviation reform in the nation might just be underway:
According to aviation industry insiders, major airlines such as Nepal Airlines, Buddha Air, Shree Airlines, and Yeti Airlines have initiated large-scale engine overhauls, avionics upgrades, and spare parts procurement to comply with international safety standards and enhance fleet reliability. Furthermore, preparations for new aircraft acquisitions and the resumption of suspended international routes have driven demand for aviation components and ground support equipment.
Which Aircraft in Nepal are Need of Large-Scale engine Overhauls?
Nepal has always been accused of operating really old aircraft, compromising on the safety of passengers. Nepal Airlines, for example, has two De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter aircraft that average more than 41 years, reported planespotters.net. Yeti Airlines operates a fleet of ATR 72 and ATR 42 gave an average age of 17 years, while the three ATR 42s operated by Buddha Air are over 30 years old.
In Pictures: Nepal’s Main fixed-wing & helicopter Operators in 2025?
Rotorcraft operators of Nepal primarily operate the Airbus A125 (which was previously known as Airbus A350B3). This is a helicopter that has landed at the top of Everest. While Shree Airlines operates Mil Mi-17s, which used to fly regularly to Syangboche Airport in the Everest region on occasions, and Prabhu operator used to operate Robinson helicopters, the majority of helicopters in Nepal are of the H125 type.
The data that shows that Nepal’s aircraft spare imports have increased fourfold aren’t specific to point to which type of spare (for which aircraft types) parts are being imported.
What are Nepal’s Other Imports in the First Two Months of FY 2025/2026?
This sharp rise in aircraft part import in the first couple of months of 2025 is emblematic of the renewed maintenance and fleet modernization efforts of the domestic fixed-wing and rotorcraft operators of the nation. Due to the pandemic’s impact on aviation operations and reduced international flight operations (such as the stalling of flights from Pokhara and Gautam Buddha Airport), Nepal’s aviation saw a blip.
But now that aviation activities rebounding with Nepal Airlines being able to garner slots in Sydney, international flights to Tibet resuming from Pokhara, and international flights to the gulf nations from Lumbini Airport, air traffic returning to pre-COVID levels, and greater interest in helicopter operations to Everest Base Camp and other regions, Nepal’s aviation sector might have a boom.
But it is not only the aviation sector that has seen a rise, reports Nepal Rastra Bank:
“During the two months of 2025/26, mercandise imports increased 16.2 percent to Rs.305.16 billion compared to an increase of 1.1 percent a year ago. Destination-wise, imports from India, China, and other countries increased 8.0 percent, 25.1 percent, and 33.4 percent respectively. Imports of crude soyabean oil, chemical fertilizer, transport equipment, vehicle and spare parts, aircraft
spareparts and telecommunication equipments and parts among others increased…”
But there is a catch. The insouciant rise in aircraft-related imports could also out some strain on Nepal’s trade deficit. After all, “aviation equipment involves high-value foreign purchases“. Aviation economists say that such import can only be counterbalanced by service exports, such as maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities within Nepal.