India abolishes courier export cap and establishes return-to-origin mechanism
Change
India removed the ₹10 lakh per-shipment ceiling on courier exports effective April 1, 2026, and introduced a simplified 'return to origin' process that permits parcels held for more than 15 days to be sent back unless they are restricted or under enforcement hold.
Why it matters
Exporters no longer must shift higher-value consignments into costlier air or sea freight, reducing paperwork and compliance steps for small sellers. Courier operators and customs units will need to adapt operational workflows to handle larger-value courier consignments and to process returns within the new 15-day window.
Implications
- • Courier companies must revise customs declaration procedures and operational workflows to accept higher-value courier consignments and implement the simplified return-to-origin process.
- • E-commerce exporters and small exporters (including artisans and startups) should restructure shipping plans to consolidate eligible higher-value orders into courier consignments instead of defaulting to air or sea freight.
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