Postal services to America suspended
Citing recent tariff adjustments imposed by Washington, the Indian Postal Department has declared that it will stop accepting postal reservations to the United States as of August 25. The suspension will be temporary, according to officials, and will be reviewed in light of new information.
The action follows the US administration’s July 30, 2025, Executive Order No. 14324, which terminated duty-free exemptions on items up to $800 (about ₹70,000) on August 29, 2025.
All postal goods shipped to the US will be subject to customs charge under the updated policy, regardless of their value. Under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), duties will be assessed in accordance with tariff regulations applicable to each nation.
Temporary Halt, Monitoring Initiated
The halt, according to India’s postal authorities, is intended to reorient services to conform to the change in US policy. “As we restructure the procedure under the new pricing system, we are temporarily suspending the booking of postal products to the USA,” an official stated.
After President Donald Trump’s administration toughened tariff measures earlier this year, the decision is widely viewed as part of the ongoing trade tensions between Washington and New Delhi.
Letters, documents, and $100 gifts are permitted as limited exceptions.
We will still only accept presents up to $100 and letters and documentation. India Post stated that it is striving to restore services and that customers who have packages that have not been delivered would receive refunds.
The suspension comes after the long-standing “de minimis exception,” which permits duty-free entry for items up to $800, was abolished by Executive Order 14324, which was issued on July 30 and went into effect on August 29.
Suspension of US Implementation Forces Due to Uncertainty
However, “The amount of tax that will be applied to cargo arriving after August 29 is unknown because US processes to execute these changes are not yet fully in place.” Ajay Srivastava, a former trade official and the founder of GTRI, stated that India Post will stop sending the majority of mail to the US as a precaution starting on August 25 due to carriers’ incapacity to handle packages under the new regulations.
Gift Items Up to $100 Are Not Included
Gift packages up to $100 (about ₹8,700) have been granted an exemption and will remain free of customs taxes.
