The Department of Posts announced on Saturday that all postal services to the United States will be temporarily suspended starting August 25. This decision is due to new customs regulations in the U.S. that will take effect later this month.
This action follows Executive Order No. 14324, issued by the U.S. administration on July 30, which eliminates the duty-free de minimis exemption for goods valued at up to $800. The suspension of services comes during a time of heightened trade tensions, as President Donald Trump recently imposed a 25 percent tariff on goods from India and an additional 25 percent charge for purchasing Russian oil, raising the total tariff burden to 50 percent.
In a press statement, the Department of Posts indicated that beginning 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 noted that gift items valued at up to $100 will remain exempt from these duties.
Under the new regulations, transport carriers that handle shipments through the international postal network or other “qualified parties” authorized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are now required to collect and remit these duties. Although CBP released guidelines on August 15, many details regarding the identification of “qualified parties” and the processes for duty collection are still unclear.
As a result, air carriers that transport goods to the United States informed Indian authorities that they will be unable to accept shipments after August 25 due to a lack of operational preparedness. The Department of Posts has decided to suspend bookings for all types of postal articles destined for the U.S. starting on August 25, 2025, with exceptions for letters, documents, and gift items under $100.
The department also mentioned that customers who have already shipped items that cannot be delivered may request a postage refund. They are monitoring the situation closely in coordination with all relevant stakeholders, and are making every effort to restore services as soon as conditions allow.
Original Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/india-suspends-postal-services-to-us-after-trump-tariff-moves-101755941924105.html
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Publish Date: 2025-08-24 05:01:00
