NAIMA Mobility Sambaad 9th Edition: The Future of CKD in Nepal
10th January 2026, Kathmandu
As the Nepalese automotive landscape undergoes a rapid transformation, the focus is shifting from simple imports to domestic production.
NAIMA Mobility Sambaad 9th Edition
The recent 9th Edition of the Monthly Mobility Sambaad, organized by the Nepal Automobile Importers and Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) in collaboration with IOE, Thapathali Campus, brought this evolution to the forefront.
The central theme, “Completely Knocked Down (CKD) Vehicle Assembly: Opportunities, Challenges, and Prospects,” highlighted how local assembly is becoming a pillar for the “Make in Nepal” vision.
What is CKD Vehicle Assembly?
Completely Knocked Down (CKD) refers to a manufacturing process where a vehicle is imported as a collection of individual parts and then fully assembled in the destination country. Unlike SKD (Semi-Knocked Down), which involves pre-assembled sections, CKD requires a more sophisticated local infrastructure, creating deeper industrial roots.
Key Opportunities for Nepal’s Automotive Sector
During the dialogue, industry experts, including Shekhar Golchha (NAIMA Board Member) and Gaurav Sarda (Director, Sarda Group) emphasized several benefits of adopting the CKD model:
Job Creation & Skill Development: CKD plants require a large technical workforce, providing high-value employment for engineering graduates and technicians.
Technology Transfer: Collaborating with global giants like Hyundai, MG, and Yamaha brings advanced robotic and assembly technologies into Nepal.
Economic Resilience: By reducing the import of Fully Built Units (FBU), Nepal can save foreign exchange reserves and build a localized supply chain for tires, batteries, and lubricants.
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Affordability: Government incentives, such as excise duty waivers (up to 50% for some categories), aim to make locally assembled vehicles more competitive in price.
Challenges Facing the Industry
Despite the potential, the transition to a manufacturing hub isn’t without hurdles. The panel, including Shrikant Yadav (Technical Director, DoTM), identified critical roadblocks:
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Policy Instability: Investors require long-term policy certainty (8-10 years) to commit the billions of NPR needed for assembly plants.
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Infrastructure Gaps: High operating costs and the need for specialized industrial zones remain a concern for manufacturers.
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Value Addition: The Office of the Auditor General has noted that for the industry to be truly “Made in Nepal,” plants must meet higher local value-addition benchmarks beyond simple bolting and painting.
The Road Ahead: Mobility Sambaad and Beyond
NAIMA’s Executive Director, Rajkumar Dulal, shared that the Mobility Sambaad will continue its mission to bridge the gap between academia, government, and the private sector. The 10th edition is slated to take place at the IOE Pulchowk Campus, focusing on further integrating youth and innovation into the sector.
As SSP Nabaraj Adhikari noted, educating the traffic police and the public on “emerging vehicle technology” is just as vital as building the cars themselves.
Conclusion
For Nepal to transition from a consumer market to a producer, the synergy between the government’s “Make in Nepal” policy and private sector investment is crucial. CKD assembly isn’t just about putting cars together; it’s about building a sustainable industrial ecosystem for the future of Nepalese mobility.
For more: NAIMA Mobility Sambaad 9th Edition
