New Delhi, Nov 1:
India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections rose 4.6 per cent year-on-year to ₹1.96 lakh crore in October 2025, despite recent rate cuts aimed at rationalising the tax structure, official data showed on Saturday. This marks the tenth consecutive month that GST revenues have remained above the ₹1.8 lakh crore mark.
According to the data, total GST revenue during April–October FY26 stood at ₹13.89 lakh crore — a 9 per cent increase compared to ₹12.74 lakh crore collected during the same period last fiscal. After adjusting for refunds, the government’s net tax collections in October stood at ₹1.69 lakh crore, up 0.6 per cent compared to October 2024.
The robust October collections reflect strong consumer demand during the festive season following the rate cuts announced on September 22 as part of broader tax and economic reforms. The government noted that the benefits of these GST reductions have been passed on to consumers, boosting spending at a crucial time for the economy.
Officials also expect consumption to grow by more than 10 per cent this year, translating to additional consumption worth around ₹20 lakh crore.
“The higher gross GST collections reflect a strong festive season, increased consumer demand, and a rate structure that has been well absorbed by businesses. It’s a positive indicator that both consumption and compliance are moving in the right direction,” said Abhishek Jain, Partner and National Head – Indirect Tax, KPMG in India.
In September, GST revenues had risen 9.1 per cent year-on-year to ₹1.89 lakh crore. During the second quarter of FY26, collections reached ₹5.71 lakh crore, a 7.7 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
Meanwhile, India’s net direct tax revenue grew 6.33 per cent to ₹11.89 lakh crore in the current fiscal year (up to October 12). The Income Tax Department reported gross direct tax collections of ₹13.92 lakh crore, up from ₹13.60 lakh crore during the same period last fiscal. The growth was driven by stronger corporate tax receipts and slower refund outflows.
Corporate tax collections rose to ₹5.02 lakh crore from ₹4.91 lakh crore a year ago, while non-corporate tax collections — including those from individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) — increased to ₹6.56 lakh crore from ₹5.94 lakh crore.
