New Delhi, Dec 31 The Department of Posts has announced the rationalisation of certain international letter post services, particularly those offering limited or no tracking, as part of efforts to promote more efficient, transparent and customer-friendly postal options.
Aligned with global best practices and decisions of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), the move is aimed at modernising and strengthening India’s international letter post framework. As part of this initiative, select outward international letter mail services will be discontinued with effect from January 1, 2026.
The services to be withdrawn include the Registered Small Packet service, in line with UPU decisions restricting registration to document-only items; the Outward Small Packet service, covering letter post items containing goods sent by Sea, Surface Air Lifted (SAL) or Air; and the Surface Letter Mail Service and Surface Air Lifted (SAL) Letter Mail Service for outward letter post items.
According to the Ministry of Communications, the decision addresses challenges such as limited or absence of tracking in small packet services, longer delivery timelines, increasing customs and security requirements in destination countries, and declining acceptance of such items by several foreign postal administrations.
The Ministry emphasised that the rationalisation is intended to improve service quality and will not adversely affect exporters or customers. Following the changes, registration will continue to be available for document-only items booked in Air mode under categories including Letters, Post Cards, Printed Papers, Aerograms, Blind Literature and M-bags.
Existing UPU provisions for Blind Literature and M-bags will remain unchanged. Items of Blind Literature sent by or addressed to a blind person or an organisation for the blind will continue to be exempt from postal charges, except applicable air surcharges, subject to destination country regulations. M-bags will also continue to be governed by UPU rules, including prescribed weight limits and country-specific acceptance conditions.
To support exporters, MSMEs and individual customers sending goods abroad, the Department of Posts said it already offers reliable alternatives such as the International Tracked Packet Service (ITPS) and other international parcel services, and has encouraged customers to shift to these options.
