NEW YORK, December 30, 2025, 19:10 ET
- India Post will discontinue several outward international letter-mail services from Jan. 1, 2026, citing UPU decisions.
- The government said the shift targets better tracking, customs compliance and security as cross-border e-commerce grows.
- Portugal’s CTT also said goods can no longer be sent by international registered mail under a worldwide rules change from the same date.
India Post will discontinue selected outward international letter-mail services from Jan. 1, 2026, as it aligns with decisions taken by the Universal Postal Union, the government said on Tuesday. (Press Information Bureau release)
The change lands just before the new year and affects customers who used letter-post channels to send small goods overseas, including online sellers and small exporters. India Post is urging customers to move to tracked packet and parcel services instead, the government said.
It also underscores a wider push by postal operators to separate “documents” from “goods” in international mail as customs and security requirements tighten in destination countries, especially for items with commercial value.
India’s Department of Posts said it will discontinue the Registered Small Packet service, the Outward Small Packet service — including letter-post items containing goods sent by sea, surface air lifted (SAL) or air — and the Surface Letter Mail and SAL Letter Mail services for outward letter-post items. SAL is a hybrid transport mode that combines surface transport with an air leg. 1
The government said it was addressing “limited or no tracking” for some small-packet services, longer delivery timelines and a reduced willingness by foreign postal administrations to accept such items.
The reforms are aimed at improving customer experience, service reliability, trackability, customs compliance and security while aligning postal offerings with evolving global e-commerce standards, it said.
After the change, registration will remain available for documents only and will be booked in air mode under categories including letters, postcards, printed papers, aerograms, blind literature and M-bags, it said. M-bags are postal sacks used to send printed matter in bulk.
Rules covering blind literature and M-bags will continue unchanged, the government said, adding that items of blind literature remain exempt from postal charges except applicable air surcharges, subject to destination-country regulations.
To support exporters and MSMEs — India’s term for micro, small and medium enterprises — the Department of Posts encouraged customers to use the International Tracked Packet Service (ITPS) and other international parcel services that offer end-to-end tracking and better customs and security compliance, it said.
Portugal’s postal operator CTT said a similar shift would take effect from Jan. 1, 2026, saying it will no longer be possible to send goods by international registered mail due to a worldwide legislative change. “International Registered Mail will now have traceability in all UPU countries … and will be exclusive to the sending of documents,” CTT said in a statement. 2
CTT said goods will need to be sent using alternative products such as its International Blue Mail or parcel formats under the new rules, as postal operators adjust to tighter controls and tracking expectations for cross-border shipments.
India Post said it has advised officers to guide customers to suitable alternatives and publicise the changes to ensure a smooth transition ahead of the Jan. 1 start date.
