DHL temporarily suspends Chinese import shipments to India

Border tensions between India and China had led to clearance delays. PHOTO: AFP

NEW DELHI (REUTERS) - German logistics company DHL said on Wednesday (July 1) it has temporarily suspended picking up import shipments from China to India, after border tensions between the countries led to clearance delays.

Another prominent freight transporter FedEx Corp has also suspended shipments, according to a BloomberQuint report, adding that the company is facing backlogs beyond its control.

FedEx was not immediately available for a comment.

A DHL representative confirmed to Reuters that the recent delay in customs clearance of cargo into India caused the shipment company's DHL Express India unit to temporarily suspend pick ups from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. DHL did not elaborate on the nature of consignments that were delayed.

Reuters reported last week that goods, including products from US companies Apple, Cisco and Dell were caught up in the border tensions, as Indian ports held up imports from China.

Pharma ingredients are other goods that await government clearances at ports, according to a Bloomberg report on Tuesday, adding that pharmaceutical firms were not sure why their consignments were delayed.

United Parcel Service and Amazon India did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding possible shipment delays.

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