Why does Bhutan import fuel from India when it exports hydropower?

Bhutan built its hydropower sector since the 1980s as an export industry — the grid was sized for cross-border export, not domestic consumption. Domestic vehicle ownership grew separately, supplied by Indian-refined diesel and petrol. Two unrelated flows that ended at the same border. In 2025 the fuel-import bill (USD 442M) was 2.2× the 2023 hydropower-export revenue (USD 208M).