India Post will resume all categories of international postal services to the United States beginning Wednesday, following the successful implementation of a new customs-compliant system that aligns with recent US import regulations. The Ministry of Communications confirmed the development, marking a major restoration of cross-border mail services that had been suspended since August 22 due to changes in the United States’ shipping policy.
The temporary suspension came after the US government introduced new requirements affecting how goods entering the country must be processed under customs law. In response, India Post worked extensively to establish a fully compliant framework based on the Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) model, which ensures that customs duties and taxes are settled before goods are shipped. The ministry stated that the new mechanism was developed through system upgrades, close coordination with CBP-approved Qualified Parties, and multiple operational trials carried out in the Delhi and Maharashtra postal circles.
Under the revised procedure, all applicable customs duties on postal shipments from India to the United States will now be collected upfront in India during the booking process. The collected duties will then be remitted directly to the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through authorized Qualified Parties. This structure guarantees complete regulatory compliance, faster customs clearance, and smoother last-mile delivery in the United States. The new process eliminates the need for recipients to pay additional duties upon delivery, removing a common cause of delay in international shipping.
As per CBP guidelines, postal items sent from India to the US are subject to a flat customs duty rate of 50 percent of the declared Free on Board (FOB) value, in accordance with the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff system, with India listed as the country of origin. Unlike courier or commercial consignments, postal packages do not attract additional product-based tariffs, making them a cost-effective and transparent mode of shipment.
The Department of Posts emphasized that it will not charge customers any additional fees for facilitating DDP or Qualified Party services. Postal tariffs will remain unchanged, allowing exporters, businesses, and individual senders to continue benefiting from affordable international delivery options while maintaining compliance with updated US import rules.
Customers can now send all categories of international mail—Express Mail Service (EMS), Air Parcels, Registered Letters, Registered Packets, and Tracked Packets—to addresses in the United States. Bookings can be made at any Post Office, International Business Centre (IBC), Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK), or through the Self-Service Portal on the official India Post website.
The resumption of international postal services to the United States is expected to significantly boost the convenience and efficiency of India’s outbound logistics, particularly benefiting small exporters and e-commerce businesses that rely on postal networks for cross-border shipments. The initiative demonstrates India Post’s growing focus on digitalization, global compliance, and reliable service standards in line with international trade protocols.
By implementing the DDP system, India Post not only restored a vital international route but also strengthened India’s position in global postal logistics. The move ensures greater transparency, simplified taxation, and improved trust among exporters and consumers, reaffirming India Post’s commitment to facilitating secure and compliant global delivery solutions.
