Does USPS Ship To India? (Delivery Times, Price + More)

USPS ships to over 180 countries around the world, and has a great reputation for being one of the most cost-effective options for international shipping.

So does USPS ship to India- how much does it cost, and is it actually reliable?

Does USPS Ship To India In 2024?

USPS has three services that ship to India. Global Express Guaranteed is the most expensive and fastest service. Priority Mail Express International is a great middle-of-the-road option that is less expensive than Global Express Guaranteed but is faster than the cheapest option, Priority Mail International. USPS is reliable in terms of your package reaching its final destination, but it must pass through two customs clearance gates, which can slow down your delivery time considerably.

If you’re considering using USPS to ship your next package to India, be sure to keep reading to see a side-by-side comparison of shipping service and some helpful information to save you time, money, and stress!

How Much Does It Cost To Ship With USPS To India?

USPS is a federally owned and operated organization, which means that their shipping costs vary depending on the weight, dimensions, and distance traveled of each package.

We already have our distance variable, which is from the United States to India, so if we assume that you’re shipping a package of average dimensions with a weight of 5 lbs, we can start to see some estimated price points take shape.

Global Express Guaranteed is the most expensive shipping service, costing about $150 for shipping a 5 lb package to India from the United States.

Global Express Guaranteed is also the fastest option, however, with a guaranteed delivery time of 1-3 days backed by a money-back guarantee.

Priority Mail Express International is a slightly more wallet-friendly option, with shipping costs for the same package hitting at around $95.

Priority Mail Express International is also a great middle-of-the-road option for delivery times, with delivery windows being between 3-5 business days, although it’s not guaranteed.

Priority Mail International is the cheapest shipping service USPS offers for shipping to India, coming in at less than half the cost of Global Express Guaranteed, $73.

Opting for a cheaper price with Priority Mail International does come with a sacrifice in terms of speed, however, with the delivery window being anywhere from 6-10 business days with no real guarantee on delivery time.

It’s important to keep in mind that these prices are ballpark estimates intended to give you a frame of reference for each service- these are not flat-rate prices.

If you’re interested in seeing a more accurate price estimate that’s tailored to your specific shipping needs, you can use the Price Calculator on the USPS website here.

Is Shipping With USPS To India Reliable? 

Is Shipping With USPS To India Reliable? 

The answer to this question depends on what exactly you mean by reliable!

If by reliable you mean will your package actually make it to its destination in one piece then yes, USPS is absolutely reliable for shipping to India.

If we’re talking in terms of speed and estimated delivery windows, however, things get a little fuzzier.

Shipping to India, in general, is a bit different than shipping to most countries since your package has to go through two different customs clearance gates rather than one.

The first customs clearance gate is in Heathrow, UK, which can take anywhere from 7-22 days to clear a package.

The second customs clearance gate your package must clear is in India, which typically takes 4-14 days.

So even if your delivery window for Priority Mail International is 6-10 days, it could take up to 35 days for your package to actually reach its destination.

How Do I Track My USPS Package In India?

Tracking international packages with USPS can be difficult since your package changes hands so many times.

Once your package lands in another country, the USPS hands custody if the package over to that country, meaning USPS workers are no longer scanning your package to update the tracking system.

This does not mean, however, that you’re entirely in the dark.

Once your package touches down in India, the India Post takes custody of the package and typically creates a separate tracking number that they connect to your USPS tracking number, enabling you to continue tracking your package.

In order to track your package in India, you can visit this page of the Speed Post Tracking India website and use the drop-down menu to select “USPS Tracking”.

Next, type in your USPS tracking number, and the website should populate whatever information is available about the package so you can follow along on the journey.

If no information populates, double-check that you have the right tracking number by looking at your USPS receipt or confirmation email.

If you do and there’s still no information available about your package yet, it’s best to be patient!

Customs can take quite a while, especially when there are two different customs gates, so it could be that your package just hasn’t arrived in India yet.

If you are looking to learn more, you can also see our posts on whether or not USPS ships to France, if USPS ships to Hong Kong, and if USPS ships to China.

Conclusion

USPS does ship to India and offers three services to ship with: Global Express Guaranteed, Priority Mail Express International, and Priority Mail International.

Global Express Guaranteed is the most expensive shipping service, but is also the fastest and the only option to come with guaranteed delivery windows and a money-back guarantee.

Priority Mail International is the least expensive shipping service available, however it takes the longest and is the most likely to be held for more than 20 days.

USPS packages on the way to India go through two customs clearance gates instead of one, which means delivery delays are more likely.

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Marques Thomas

Marques Thomas graduated with a MBA in 2011. Since then, Marques has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Marques is also the head writer and founder of QuerySprout.com.

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