The department of posts on Saturday announced a temporary suspension of all postal services to the United States from August 25, citing changes in US customs rules that will come into effect later this month.
The decision follows Executive Order No. 14324, issued by the US administration on July 30, which withdraws the duty-free de minimis exemption for goods valued up to $800.
The suspension of postal services comes against the backdrop of escalating trade tensions, with US President Donald Trump recently imposing a 25 per cent tariff on India, along with an additional 25 per cent penalty for purchasing Russian oil, effectively raising the total tariff burden to 50 per cent.
In a press statement, the department of posts said that with effect from August 29, “all international postal items destined for the USA, regardless of their value, shall be subject to customs duties as per the country-specific International Emergency Economic Power Act (IEEPA) tariff framework.” However, It added that gift items worth up to $100 will continue to remain exempt.
Under the new order, transport carriers delivering shipments through the international postal network or other “qualified parties” approved by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are required to collect and remit duties.
According to to the release, while CBP issued guidelines on August 15, several processes concerning the designation of “qualified parties” and mechanisms for duty collection remain “undefined.”
As a result, US-bound air carriers have informed Indian authorities that they will be unable to accept consignments after August 25 due to lack of operational readiness.
“In view of the above, the Department of Posts has decided to temporarily suspend booking of all types of postal articles destined for the USA with effect from 25th August, 2025, except letters/documents and gift items up to $100 in value,” the press release said.
The department added that customers who have already booked undeliverable items may seek a refund of postage. It also said it is “closely monitoring the evolving situation in coordination with all stakeholders, and every effort is being made to normalize services at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Article source: hindustantimes.com
