Parcels to US from Bengaluru’s General Post Office see over 50% drop amid tariff hike
Bengaluru: The 50% tariff imposed by the United States on India is having a significant impact on the volume of parcels being sent to the US from Bengaluru’s General Post Office (GPO) in Cubbon Park.
The number of parcels booked for shipment has dropped sharply, from 57 in July to just 27 in the first 24 days of August — a decline of more than 50%, as reported by Deccan Herald on Monday.
GPO officials attribute the drop primarily to the sharp increase in shipment costs due to the newly imposed tariff. Previously, packages valued under $800 could be sent to the US duty-free; however, the new regime now subjects any shipment over $100 to substantial duties.
According to postal staff, the situation is even worse than it appears. “The fall is sharper than what the numbers suggest as students returning for their fall semesters should have seen the numbers spike,” DH quoted them as saying.
India has suspended all postal services to US owing to the new duty regime. This means that families sending parcels to loved ones in the US will either need to pay the higher rates for private courier services or stop sending items altogether.
A large portion of the parcels sent from Bengaluru are packages for students and working professionals in the US. Geeta, mother of a student at Arizona State University, used to send to her daughter monthly packages of spices, blends and pickles. “My packages, depending on the weight, would cost around Rs 5,000, which was economical. In contrast, the same package sizes sent through private postal services were almost double the price, ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000,” DH quoted her as saying.
Anitha, the mother of a dental professional working in Boston, attempted to mail her son some important documents last week but was informed that the services had been suspended at her local post office.
The postal department is closely monitoring the situation and reportedly trying its hardest to restore services at the earliest.
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Bill Gates lauds Andhra's AI-driven growth
Amaravati (PTI): Microsoft founder and Gates Foundation chairman Bill Gates on Tuesday hailed Andhra Pradesh's rapid development, saying it was exciting to see the state's growth being accelerated through AI and technology.
Following his visit to Amaravati, Gates expressed his admiration for the southern state’s innovations across health, agriculture and education.
“Thank you for the warm welcome, N Chandrababu Naidu. It’s exciting to witness Andhra Pradesh’s growth being accelerated through AI, technology, and innovations across health, agriculture & education,” he said in a post on X.
On Monday, Gates had engaged in several activities in the greenfield capital city of Amaravati, beginning with an interaction with the CM and others, reviewing presentations on the use of technology in governance and also a visit to a banana orchard by the Krishna river bank in Undavalli village in Guntur district.
According to the tech czar, India is leading the global digital revolution.
He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Naidu for their key role.
He also heaped praises on Naidu for his long-term vision, saying a majority of IT experts, including many at Microsoft, are from the Telugu states.
