The Department of Posts on Tuesday announced that it has started offering 24-hour and 48-hour delivery guarantees for urgent and time-sensitive items, PTI reported.
The department has also introduced three new premium services as part of its drive to revamp operations at a time when it faces increasing competition from private courier companies that promise delivery within hours.
Read also | From Africa to West Asia, India Post expands e-comm export map as US tariffs bite
Premium services launched
Newly introduced premium services include 24 Speed Post, 24 Speed Post Parcel and 48 Speed Post.
According to the report, these services will initially be rolled out in six cities – Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai. The department also plans to expand these offers across the country by March 2027.
To ensure delivery deadlines are met, the Postal Department will use specialized processing systems and priority air shipping. The new services will also include one-time password (OTP)-based delivery verification along with end-to-end end-to-end tracking supported by real-time message alerts, according to an official statement.
Read also | A delivery man dies in a fatal traffic accident when a speeding car crashes into an e-scooter
In addition, businesses will be offered features such as “Book Now, Pay Later” (BNPL), centralized billing and API integration. They will also benefit from free bulk collection and a money-back guarantee for late deliveries.
Prices for new services
According to a Hindustan Times report, prices for the 24 Speed Post service, which will be limited to documents, will start at ₹38 for local deliveries weighing up to 50 grams and will be up to ₹186 for shipments weighing between 251 and 500 grams for distances exceeding 2,000 km.
For Speed Post shipments, the price is set at ₹200 for packages weighing up to 500 grams and rises to ₹990 for parcels weighing 4.5 to 5 kg.
Additionally, if the department does not deliver within the specified 24 or 48 hour timeframe, customers will be entitled to a refund of their payment.
Scindia opens the services
The services were launched by Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia at an event in New Delhi. He said India Post’s revenue growth remains strong, with a 20% increase recorded in the first 11 months of FY26.
As part of the second phase of the rollout, Scindia said more cities would be added by September.
He added that the introduction of these premium services marks a phase of renewal for India Post and highlights a significant growth opportunity. According to him, the expansion of the e-commerce market is expected ₹30 trillion over the next five years, almost three times the current size ₹11 trillion.
“Today, parcels constitute only 5% of our business. However, our common goal is to make parcel services the main growth engine of the organization. In the first 11 months of this year (FY26), the parcels segment has grown by over 44%. But we need to accelerate this growth further. There is no reason why we should not become a full-fledged delivery engine,” Scindia said.
Read also | Scindia condemns ‘shocking, absurd’ order after BSNL director’s demands go viral
Earlier in October 2025, Scindia had said that the Ministry of Posts would introduce these premium services in January 2026. He also announced at the event that India Post will introduce eight new products in 2026 across its mail, parcel and international segments. These include next day delivery for both documents and parcels, enhanced services for last mile parcel delivery, last mile parcel delivery, terminal parcel delivery.
(With inputs from PTI)
