India resumes postal services to US after two-month suspension. What changes

The Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, Government of India, has announced the resumption of all categories of international postal services to the US starting toay.

The services had been suspended on August 22 following an Executive Order issued by the US Administration, which withdrew the de minimis treatment for postal shipments. This order introduced new import duty requirements under the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), prompting the temporary halt of postal exports to the USA.

India Post has since developed and implemented a compliant Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) mechanism in coordination with CBP-approved Qualified Parties. The system was tested through successful operational trials in the Delhi and Maharashtra postal circles. Under the new arrangement, all applicable customs duties will be collected at the time of booking in India and remitted directly to the CBP, ensuring regulatory compliance and enabling faster customs clearance and delivery in the United States.

As per the updated CBP guidelines, customs duties on postal shipments from India are now charged at a flat rate of 50 percent of the declared Free on Board (FOB) value, under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff. Unlike commercial or courier consignments, no additional base or product-specific duties are applicable to postal items, offering a cost advantage for Indian exporters.

The Department of Posts clarified that no extra charges will be levied for facilitating DDP or engaging Qualified Parties. Postal tariffs will remain unchanged, preserving affordability for exporters and small businesses. This step is expected to benefit MSMEs, artisans, e-commerce exporters, and traders by offering a competitive and compliant logistics option for shipments to the USA.

With the new system in place, customers can once again book EMS, air parcels, registered letters and packets, and tracked packets for delivery to the United States through any post office, International Business Centre, or Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra.

- Ends