BUSINESS

Bhutan is accelerating its shift towards electric mobility as fuel prices hit record highs, exposing the country’s continued vulnerability to imported petroleum and global market volatility. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MoIT) confirmed that it is currently developing a comprehensive Electric Vehicle (EV) Strategy to guide the country’s transition, …

Despite the rising cost of global oil prices, public transport fares and delivery rates remain unchanged. The Bhutan Construction and Transport Authority (BCTA) reports that the current price fluctuations are not yet abnormal enough to trigger a formal revision. Chief Program Officer at BCTA, Tshongdu,  said, “Currently, all the rates …

Police are awaiting a postmortem report after the body of a newborn infant was discovered inside a plastic bag at the Hongkong Market waste disposal area on the morning of 9th March 2026. The shocking discovery was made around 10 am by waste collectors who were carrying out their routine …

Though the GST is an important tax there has been a largely negative reaction to the GST in the backdrop of land tax in the past, the economy still recovering, especially for the private sector, rising cost of living, and lack of customers for businesses as many Bhutanese head abroad. …

According to Finance Minister Lekey Dorji, during the GST approval process, the Department of Revenue and Customs (DRC) submitted the schedule to the Ministry of Finance (MoF), which approved it and forwarded it to the Cabinet before submission to the National Assembly. Lyonpo noted that the cabinet had initially thought …

Construction and industry to remain key drivers Bhutan’s economy is projected to grow by 6.86 percent in 2026, moderating from an estimated 8.71 percent in 2025, according to the latest domestic economic outlook. The slowdown is largely attributed to an expected deceleration in the industry sector, particularly as growth in …

According to import data, Bhutan saw Nu 815 million (mn) worth of tobacco in various forms and e-cigarettes being imported in 2025 with a break up of  766.56  for tobacco and Nu 48.447 mn for e-cigarettes. In 2024 tobacco products worth Nu 745 mn were imported and e-cigarettes worth around …

An MoU was signed at the Invest Bhutan Summit between Singye Namgyal, founder of Himalayan Agarwood, and Surya Narayanan Ramachandran of Fouad Alghanim & Sons Group of Companies, marking the start of a proposed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) partnership for commercial agarwood cultivation in eastern Bhutan. The project plans to …

A total of six Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and two partnerships were signed between Bhutanese businesses and foreign investors at the Bhutan Invest Summit held on 12th and 13th February. FDI Registration Certificate and an in-principle approval were issued to Drugyal Selchu, a bottled drinking water manufacturing company based in …

Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC), at the recent Invest Bhutan Summit, proposed financing needs of Nu 2.192 trillion (1000 billion = 1 trillion) for power generation and Nu 62 billion for transmission infrastructure. The proposed funding will be used to finance planned solar and hydropower projects in the pipeline to …