India will resume all categories of international postal services to the United States from October 15, 2025, the Department of Posts under the Ministry of Communications announced on Tuesday. The decision comes with the introduction of a new Delivery Duty Paid (DDP) system, which will allow customers to send parcels, documents and gifts with greater transparency and affordability.
According to the ministry, India Post has developed a compliant mechanism for DDP processing after extensive system development, coordination with CBP-approved Qualified Parties and successful operational trials in the Delhi and Maharashtra Circles. Under the new arrangement, all applicable US customs duties will be collected upfront in India at the time of booking and remitted directly to the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This will ensure faster customs clearance, full regulatory compliance and seamless delivery to addressees in the US without any additional duty or delay.
Postal services to the US had been suspended since August 22, 2025, after the US administration issued Executive Order 14324, ending the “de minimis” exemption for postal imports and mandating new duty collection procedures. Under updated US Customs rules, imports from India via postal channels attract a flat 50% customs duty on the declared Free on Board (FOB) value under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariff. However, there are no additional product-specific duties, making the postal route more cost-effective than courier or freight, particularly for MSMEs, artisans, small traders and e-commerce exporters.
India Post clarified that no extra charges will be levied for the new DDP or Qualified Party services and postal tariffs will remain unchanged. This measure aims to maintain affordability, support MSMEs and boost India’s exports through the postal channel. From October 15, customers will be able to send all categories of international mail, EMS, air parcels, registered letters/packets and tracked packets to the US from any Post Office, International Business Centre (IBC), Dak Ghar Niryat Kendra (DNK) or through the India Post online portal.
The ministry said the DDP system will improve the ease of doing business by allowing exporters to prepay all duties in India, providing complete cost transparency and reducing delivery uncertainties abroad.
