India Post suspends parcels to US from Aug 25

India Post will suspend dispatch of parcels to the US from August 25 after Washington withdrew duty-free exemption on goods up to $800. Families in Hyderabad, especially students abroad, face disruption, while private courier firms await clarity on the impact

Hyderabad: India Post’s decision to temporarily suspend the dispatch of postal articles to the United States from August 25 has ended up causing much dismay and confusion among scores of families in Hyderabad who have their kith and kin in the US.

The decision followed an Executive Order by the US government under which the duty-free exemption for goods valued up to $800 will be withdrawn with effect from August 29, according to a release by the Ministry of Communications.

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Thus, all international postal items destined for the US, regardless of their value, would be subject to customs duties as per the country-specific International Emergency Economic Power Act tariff framework. However, gift items up to $100 shall continue to remain exempt from duties, the release said.

The development is expected to cause confusion among those intending to send articles and goods to their family or friends in the US. From pickles, spices, to utensils, garments, and other articles are sent to their family members and friends in the US. Students from Telangana studying in the US depend more on these things to be sent by their parents from here.

Certain disruptions in the services at the Foreign Post Office (FPO) located at Humayun Nagar Sub Post Office, Masab Tank, that delivers parcels and packages to 42 countries worldwide, including the US, are expected from August 25.

Parcels and packages booked by customers at nearly 6,000 post offices across Telangana are sent to the FPO for checking by Customs officials through scanners, and then to RGIA, Shamshabad, for delivery to customers via flights.

A senior official from the Postal Department told ‘Telangana Today‘ that the Foreign Post Office in Hyderabad is expected to experience some operational impacts due to the suspension.

Private Couriers-business impact:

Meanwhile, clarity is yet to emerge on the articles booked for US by the private courier services. The Ministry of Communications, in its orders, did not specifically make any mention of articles booked by private couriers.

However, the impact is also expected on the networks of private courier services such as Blue Dart, DHL Express, DTDC, FedEx, UPS, and others.

“Till more clarity emerges, there will be an impact on the bookings in Hyderabad,” a manager of a courier service in Ameerpet opined.