CNI President Birendra Raj Pandey Unveils Ambitious Vision: Propelling Nepal Towards a $100 Billion Economy by 2035
18th August 2025, Kathmandu
The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) is not just observing Nepal’s economic landscape; it’s actively shaping its future.
Nepal 100 Billion Economy
At the recent launch of the “CNI Budget Watch” for the fiscal year 2082/83 (2025/26), CNI President Mr. Birendra Raj Pandey articulated a compelling vision: to expand Nepal’s current USD 44 billion economy to a remarkable USD 100 billion within the next decade. This ambitious target, envisioned to be achieved by 2035, hinges on sustained double-digit economic growth and a transformative partnership between the government and the private sector.2
President Pandey’s remarks resonated with a sense of urgency and optimism, emphasizing that achieving the national aspiration of “Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepalese” within the current generation is not just a dream but a tangible goal. This prosperity, he stated, demands maximized use of available resources, aggressive attraction of both domestic and foreign investments, and a relentless focus on sustainable economic development.
Private Sector as the Economic Catalyst
A core tenet of President Pandey’s vision is the conviction that economic development must be led by the private sector. For this to materialize, he underscored the necessity of the government adopting highly business-friendly policies and a forward-looking vision, coupled with essential legal and policy reforms.3 CNI has proactively demonstrated its commitment to this, investing significant time in research to prepare comprehensive recommendations for legal reforms, many of which the government has already adopted, even through ordinances. This, according to Pandey, is a clear indicator of the government’s commitment to fostering a conducive policy environment.
“The ambition of a USD 100 billion economy with double-digit growth is not new for us. CNI has been advocating this vision since its establishment,” President Pandey affirmed. “What is needed now is not just discussion, but concrete action plans to make it a reality, and CNI is fully committed to moving forward in every possible way.”
Strategic Pillars for Growth: The Budget Watch Initiative
To operationalize this grand vision, CNI continues its critical “Budget Watch” initiative.4 This program, now in its fourth year, is designed to ensure effective implementation of the annual budget – a crucial step towards unlocking Nepal’s economic potential.5 President Pandey candidly acknowledged the historical challenge of weak budget implementation, where positive private sector suggestions often fail to translate into tangible progress.
The “Budget Watch” directly addresses this by:
- Identifying Obstacles: Through intensive interactions between the government, private sector, experts, and stakeholders.
- Proposing Solutions: Contributing constructively to overcome implementation hurdles.
- Monitoring Progress: For the current fiscal year, CNI has meticulously identified 74 budget provisions directly impacting the private sector and economic prosperity. These are detailed in the Budget Watch document, specifying responsible agencies, necessary legal reforms, and required steps for effective execution. These 74 points are categorized into 7 different sectors, ensuring targeted dialogues and focused efforts.
President Pandey highlighted the insights gained from previous years, citing the 2081/82 fiscal year where only 25.4% of relevant budget provisions were fully implemented. This data reinforces the imperative for greater determination from the Government of Nepal and its ministries.
A Collaborative Future for Prosperity
The CNI President reiterated the confederation’s unwavering commitment to coordination and cooperation with the government to ensure successful budget implementation. He expressed a strong desire for close collaboration with Secretaries, Joint Secretaries, and departmental heads of line ministries, recognizing their pivotal role in making the current fiscal year’s budget truly effective.
The launch of the Budget Watch initiative marks the beginning of a series of targeted sessions, inviting government officials, subject experts, and stakeholders for in-depth discussions on budget implementation.6 President Pandey expressed confidence in their continued participation and guidance, seeing this collective effort as the cornerstone for accelerating Nepal’s journey towards its envisioned economic prosperity.
CNI’s vision, led by President Pandey, is a powerful call to action for all stakeholders to align their efforts towards a common goal: a prosperous and thriving Nepal, driven by a dynamic and growing private sector.
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