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India

Check our destination guide for postal restrictions and requirements

India customs has imposed a Know Your Customer (KYC) legal requirement, which mandates that government-recognised identity and address proof must be presented to customs during shipment clearance for items sent via International Courier to India. To avoid customs delays and for a smooth clearance process, ensure you inform your recipient to complete the KYC process with the customs authority as soon as you lodge your parcel for sending.

Read Special Instructions for International Courier to India for more information.

Prohibitions

The following items are prohibited from importation, meaning they won't be allowed to enter the destination country, territory or region.

To check which items are considered dangerous and prohibited for sending from Australia, download our Prohibited and Restricted item list and packaging guide (1.1MB).

  • Animals, live
  • Animal and vegetable fats and oils
  • Albuminoidal substances; modified starches; glues; enzymes
  • China made products
  • Items contrary to the political, social or moral order of the State
  • Lac, gums and resins
  • Lottery tickets and circulars
  • Modified starches, glues, enzymes
  • Pesticides, weedicide and the like

Transporting food of any kind, cash and perfumes are prohibited under International Courier.

Batteries

All types of batteries and devices containing them (e.g. laptops, mobile phones, wireless headphones and equivalent, power banks, tablets, etc.) are prohibited from being sent via International Courier.

Medications

All types of medications are prohibited from being sent via International Courier:

  • Non doctor prescribed e.g. Panadol
  • Pharmacy only e.g. labelled with pharmacy and recipient name
  • Doctor prescribed e.g. asthma puffer, insulin tablets/needle, heart medications
  • Controlled/illegal e.g. Morphine, Methadone, Hemp Seed Oil, Cannabinoids

Import restrictions

If an item is subject to import restrictions, it means that provisions must be met before it will be released from customs in the destination country, territory or region.

We recommend you confirm import restrictions with local authorities before posting:

  • Alcohol, wine
  • Antiques
  • Arms and ammunition
  • Bees
  • Cinefilms, non-inflammable
  • Cameras
  • Computer systems
  • Consumer electronic goods
  • Cotton
  • Chemicals and allied items
  • Drugs and pharmaceuticals
  • Drawing and mathematical equipment
  • Films and videos
  • Fountain pens and parts
  • Gold and silver
  • Insecticides and pesticides
  • Jewellery
  • Liqueurs
  • Medicines
  • Pencils, lead or propelling
  • Perfumes
  • Plants, fruit and seeds
  • Precious stones and synthetic stones or gems
  • Radio and wireless apparatus
  • Silk and objects made of silk
  • Sports goods and equipment
  • Tobacco, cigars, cigarettes and e-cigarettes
  • Watches and watch parts
  • Wool

Mobile Phones

  • Must be new. Do not accept used/2nd-hand/refurbished phones.
  • Include the brand name, model number & IMEI number on Customs Declaration.
  • Warn the Shipper: Duties & Taxes are high for this commodity.

Television sets

Do not accept.

Foodstuffs

  • Receiver must have the necessary permissions and official paperwork
  • Shipper must be compliant with FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) guidelines. (If unsure, Shipper can check at FSSAI)

Perishable articles and edible substances

Send perishable articles and edible substances by Air Mail.

Gifts

All packages labelled as 'gift' will attract duties and taxes.

Customs duty

All articles sent from an individual to an individual, including gifts, will attract Indian customs duty. The receiver must pay any duty and taxes applied by customs to have their item delivered. This may be an additional 28% GST on the cost, insurance and freight value.

Any electronics items are dutiable fully, regardless of its value.

Medications

All types of medications are prohibited from being sent via International Courier:

  • Non doctor prescribed e.g. Panadol
  • Pharmacy only e.g. labelled with pharmacy and recipient name
  • Doctor prescribed e.g. asthma puffer, insulin tablets/needle, heart medications
  • Controlled/illegal e.g. Morphine, Methadone, Hemp Seed Oil, Cannabinoids

Okay to send? Send responsibly.

As the sender, it's your responsibility to make sure your items don't break any laws or rules – both within Australia and in the destination country.

Restrictions and conditions can change at short notice so the information on this page should be used as a guide only. For the latest information, you should check the UPU prohibitions & restrictions (PDF 3.2MB) or contact the destination country's customs, postal trade or government authority.

It's also your responsibility to check if the destination country imposes any duties, taxes, brokerage fees or any other fees on the item you're sending. If you're unsure, please contact the consulate office of the destination country.

Special documentation

In addition to our customs forms, authorities in the destination country, territory or region require further documentation for some items.

India requires an import permit for all commercial goods. Before posting any item, senders should confirm that the addressee has any necessary permit. Pro-forma invoice is not accepted. Make sure the Customs Declaration is titled “Invoice” or “Commercial Invoice”, but not “Pro-Forma Invoice”.

The customs declaration for all commercial goods must state that an invoice in duplicate and a Certificate of Origin are enclosed.

Vague descriptions on the invoice (e.g. clothes x 32) will not be accepted.

Incomplete, hand-written, or missing invoices will not be accepted, and may lead to the shipment being destroyed.

Special Instructions for International Courier to India

For all imports into India, the receiver must complete a Know Your Customer (KYC) process by registering on the KYC portal as soon as the article is lodged.

Receiver details (name, address including postcode, phone number) in KYC must exactly match the details on the article and customs declaration. The receiver must provide acceptable, government approved identity and proof of address that matches the KYC and article details.

Invalid addresses and/or invalid ID documents can result in lengthy and difficult delays at customs.

The recipient of your delivery should complete the KYC as soon as you lodge your parcel:

Delivery locations & exclusions

Before sending to this destination, it’s worth noting a few more details about our international delivery services.

Delivery locations & exclusions data (Personal)

Not all areas of India are able to be serviced by Australia Post. We list below all serviceable areas within India, so please check before trying to lodge your parcel.

The receiver zip-code must be correct as it cannot be changed once the shipment is sent. An incorrect zip-code on the shipment paperwork will lead to the shipment being destroyed.

  • International Express and International Standard (carried via the EMS network) - Parcels delivers only to the places shown
    • Agartala
    • Agra
    • Ahmedabad
    • Aizawl
    • Ajmer
    • Allahabad
    • Alwaye
    • Ambala
    • Amritsar
    • Aluvay
    • Auranbad
    • Bangalore
    • Bareilly
    • Belgaon
    • Bhopal
    • Bhubaneshwar
    • Bombay
    • Calcutta
    • Calicut
    • Chandigharh
    • Coimbatore
    • Cuttack
    • Dehradun
    • Delhi
    • Dhanbad
    • Dibrugarh
    • Faridabad
    • Gangtok
    • Goa
    • Gorakhpur
    • Gulburga
    • Gurgaon
    • Guwahati
    • Gwallor
    • Hosur
    • Howrah
    • Hublidharwab
    • Hyderabad
    • Imphal
    • Indore
    • Jaipur
    • Jammu
    • Jamshedpur
    • Johdpur
    • Jorhat
    • Jullundar
    • Kanchipuram
    • Kanpur
    • Kochi
    • Kolan
    • Kottayam
    • Lucknow
    • Ludhiana
    • Madras
    • Mangalore
    • Meerut
    • Moradabad
    • Mumbai
    • Mysore
    • Nagpur
    • Nasik
    • Panaji
    • Panipat
    • Patna
    • Pondicherry
    • Pune
    • Raipur
    • Rajkot
    • Ranchi
    • Salem
    • Shillong
    • Shimla
    • Silchar
    • Siliguri
    • Srinagar
    • Surat
    • Thiruananthapuram
    • Tirupati
    • Tirupur
    • Trichur
    • Trichy
    • Udaipur
    • Udupi
    • Vadodara
    • Varanasi
    • Vijayawada
    • Visakhapatnam

International Express and International Standard - Parcels does not deliver to a Post Office Box but does deliver to Poste Restante.

  • Parcels by Air Mail

The maximum weight for parcels is 20 kg except to the places shown in the table, where the availability of service and the maximum weight can depend on the time of year.

Place Season Service availability and weight
Dankhar 15 November to 30 June No service
Dodamarg All year Maximum weight if addressed to a private person - 5kg
Kaza 15 November to 30 June No service
Keylang Lota 1 January to 31 March No service

The following places in the State of Kashmir:

Dras Leh Kargil

1 November to 31 May

Maximum weight - 4kg 

No insurance available

The following places in the North East Frontier Agency (Assam Circle):

Anini Vijayanagar Tuting

All year Maximum weight - 2kg

Sealing of Extra Cover packages

Senders should seal Extra Cover packages with lead seals, wax seals, by sewing in calico, or by some other effective means. All seals should bear the same special design or mark of the sender.

  • International Registered Post

International Registered Post is not available to some localities in the State of Jammu. India pays compensation only in case of total loss, total theft or destruction of the article.

  • International Courier

    Check our International Courier page for more details.

    Shipments must be lodged at the counter at a participating Post Office (PDF 832kB) by the cut-off time, which may vary by outlet. Please fill out the online CN23 customs form prior to visiting the outlet.

    Metropolitan delivery to (valid postcodes in brackets):
    • Mumbai (400001 to 400614, 400705 to 401201)
    • Delhi (110001 to 110609)
    • Bangalore (560001 to 560106)
    • Hyderabad (500001 to 500096)
    • Ahmedabad (380001 to 380058, 382325 to 382415, 382430 to 382449) Note: guarantee of delivery in 2 business days does not apply to 382442.
    • Chennai (600000 to 600119)
    • Kolkata (700001 to 700101, 700104 to 700108, 711101 to 711107)
    • Pune* (410501 to 411024, 411026 to 411046, 411048 to 411060) Note: guarantee of delivery in 2 business days does not apply to 410506 or 411032.
    • Jaipur (302001 to 302006, 302011 to 302033)

Goods to this area may be subject to longer than usual customs delays which may affect the delivery time guarantee.

International Courier does not deliver to a Post Office Box or Poste Restante.

For more information from the overseas carrier, check the India Post website.