The Indian Department of Posts on Sunday said it has suspended bookings of all categories of mail, including letters, documents, and gift items valued up to USD 100, destined for the USA.

"The Department is closely monitoring the situation and making every effort to restore services at the earliest," read the statement issued by the Indian government.

The Indian government said customers who have already booked items that could not be dispatched may claim a refund of postage.

The UN agency responsible for the postal sector has said that 25 nations, including India, have suspended their outbound postal services to the US, citing uncertainties related to transit.

The UN postal agency says it is taking all possible measures to keep packages flowing to the United States after dozens of countries suspended service. 

“Maintaining the trust of the billions of people served by the postal network is our top priority,” said Universal Postal Union (UPU) Director General Masahiko Metoki. 

Starting on 29 August, the US announced that it will suspend duty-free “de minimis” measures for low-value packages.  

That means packages worth less than $800 will no longer be exempt from customs duties and may require new processing requirements. There is no impact on letters. 

A big change

The UPU noted that while each country has the sovereign right to adopt its own customs policies, the change “will entail considerable operational changes for postal operators around the world” – given the short notice.