NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
New Delhi, India, August 24, 2025: The Department of Posts has announced that it will temporarily suspend the booking of most categories of postal articles bound for the United States from August 25, citing operational challenges arising from recent U.S. tariff changes.
Only letters, documents, and gift items valued up to $100 will continue to be accepted for dispatch. The move follows the Trump administration’s decision to end the long-standing duty-free exemption for imports up to $800, a policy change that comes into effect on August 29.
With the exemption gone, nearly all international parcels are expected to attract customs duties in the U.S. However, guidelines on duty collection remain unclear, and air carriers have expressed their inability to handle consignments without a defined framework.
“In the absence of technical readiness and clarity from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, carriers have conveyed that they cannot accept most postal shipments from August 25,” India Post said in its notification.
Customers who have already booked consignments that cannot be dispatched will be eligible for refunds of postal charges.
The Department of Posts said it is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with the U.S. Postal Service and customs authorities to restore full services at the earliest.
The suspension is not unique to India—several postal services in Europe and other regions have also halted shipments to the U.S. in light of the new tariff regime.
