India’s GST collections jump 22.9% to 2.31 lakh crore rupees in October
Key Facts
India’s gross goods and services tax (GST) collections totaled 2.31 lakh crore rupees in October, up 22.9% year on year from 1.88 lakh crore in the same month of 2025, according to data reported by ANI, citing the Indian News Network. Net revenue after refunds rose 25.6% to 2.03 lakh crore rupees, compared with 1.61 lakh crore a year earlier. The figures show growth in both gross and net collections, with net revenue remaining below the gross total after refunds. GST revenue linked to imports rose faster than domestic revenue during the month. The monthly total came within a cumulative period in which both gross and net collections had risen since the start of the fiscal year.
Domestic revenue rose 15.8% to 1.59 lakh crore rupees in October, from 1.37 lakh crore in the same month a year earlier. By contrast, GST revenue on imports increased 42.2% to 72,246 crore rupees, compared with 50,796 crore a year earlier. Import-linked revenue growth therefore outpaced domestic revenue growth during the period. After refunds, net domestic revenue grew 16.4% to 1.45 lakh crore rupees. Net customs-linked revenue also rose 56.2% to 58,319 crore rupees, according to figures reported by ANI.
Domestic collections comprised 42,935 crore rupees from central GST, 51,340 crore from state GST, and 64,769 crore from integrated tax on domestic transactions. Total refunds in October were 27,934 crore rupees, up 6.5% year on year. These included 14,007 crore rupees in domestic refunds, up 9.8%, and 13,927 crore linked to imports, up 3.4%. Refunds account for the difference between growth in gross and net collections, as they are deducted when net revenue is reported. Refund growth was slower than gross collection growth, while net revenue rose year on year.
For the fiscal year, gross collections during April–October 2026-27 rose 13.2% to 14.77 lakh crore rupees, from 13.05 lakh crore in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. Net revenue for the seven months increased 12.6% to 12.69 lakh crore rupees. The government had reported that gross collections reached about 12.46 lakh crore rupees during April–September, an annual increase of 11.6%. October’s total adds another month to the cumulative figure, with net revenue continuing to grow at a pace close to gross collections over the seven-month period. The comparison between the two periods shows the cumulative increase continuing, although gross growth in October alone was higher than the rate recorded since the start of the fiscal year.
The figures follow an earlier change to the GST system. The government said the rise in October 2025 collections came as rate rationalization began in late September that year, and at the time pointed to sustained consumer demand during the festive season. On 8 October 2026, the GST Council held its 57th meeting in New Delhi and recommended procedural reforms covering registration, returns, refunds, dispute adjudication, trade facilitation and compliance. Recommendations from the previous meeting had focused on simplifying the rate structure. The proposed procedural changes cover registration, filing and refund processes, as well as dispute resolution. The council also recommended introducing an alternative mechanism to adjust liabilities and tax credit in GST returns, beginning with the April 2027 return.
The system’s base has expanded alongside the processing of large numbers of digital transactions, according to government data. GST registrations totaled about 1.70 crore as of September 2026, compared with about 60 lakh in 2017. As of 30 September 2026, the system had cumulatively processed 3,053 crore invoice uploads and 833.82 crore e-way bills. These figures provide context for the scale of the administrative infrastructure managing collections, returns and refunds, as the council’s recommendations advance procedural simplification. The alternative mechanism for adjusting liabilities and tax credit is due to begin with the April 2027 return, in line with the council’s recommendation.