You probably know that the Indian Posts (while being relatively inexpensive and fairly efficient) is a huge bureaucracy, where the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. For an instance, take a packet along, and ask at different posts offices as to how much it would cost to airmail this overseas -- and see the varying responses you get!
Eugene has pointed out that the postage for Indian magazines sent overseas seems to be randomly decided on. Thicker mags cost less to post, and slimmer magazines, more! I run a micro-enterprise in publishing books [http://goa1556.goa-india.org] and the other day went to the GPO at Panjim and asked for postal rates. After much searching around, some higher-ups told me books being sent to the US would cost: * Rs 310 for the first 250 grammes * Rs 65 for every additional 250 grammes But there's a catch: maximum weight just 750 grammes. This is called SAL (surface-air lifted). If I understood right, the packet would be sent by surface to Mumbai/Bombay from Goa, and then airlifted to its destination. Apparently, surfacemail is not being sent to SOME countries. The Indian Posts website isn't very clear about which can go. When I checked, a person who deals with the postal department on a daily basis said this was due to the piracy problem in Somalia! Who knows what the situation is! When I asked for a surface-mail quote for books to the US, I was told that it's as follows: * Rs 360 for the first 250 grammes * Rs 40 for every additional 250 grammes. Strange? The first slab is costlier than airmail? The officials there felt this may be so, but after one crosses the first slab, the other additional slabs are fairly inexpensive. Another bonus: this slot allows you to send a maximum weight of 20 kilomgrammes. Don't know how accurate these rates are. If you go elsewhere, you might get a different quotation. Please check and let us know! FN __________________ -- FN M: 0091 9822122436 P: +91-832-240-9490 (after 1 pm) http://fn.goa-india.org http://fredericknoronha.wordpress.com http://www.goa-india.org http://feeds.goa-india.org/index.php f r e d e r i c k n o r o n h a @ g m a i l . c o m
