Our Bureau
New Delhi
India’s gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections crossed the ₹2 lakh crore mark for the third consecutive month in September, rising 14.7% year-on-year to ₹2.04 lakh crore, according to provisional government data released on Thursday. The strong revenue growth was driven particularly by a sharp rise in GST collected from imports.
Gross GST collections stood at ₹2,03,521 crore in September 2026, compared with ₹1,77,365 crore in the same month last year. After accounting for refunds, net GST revenue rose 18.1% to ₹1.77 lakh crore from ₹1.50 lakh crore a year earlier.
Import-linked GST revenue increased 25.9% year-on-year to ₹65,525 crore in September, compared with ₹52,031 crore in September 2025. In comparison, gross GST revenue from domestic business activity rose 10.1% to ₹1.38 lakh crore from ₹1.25 lakh crore during the corresponding period.
The higher net collections also reflected lower refunds. Total GST refunds fell 3% to ₹27,001 crore during September from ₹27,848 crore a year earlier. Domestic refunds declined 13.5%, while export-related refunds processed through the ICEGATE system increased 10.2%.
For the first six months of the financial year, from April to September 2026, gross GST collections increased 11.6% to ₹12.46 lakh crore, compared with ₹11.17 lakh crore in the corresponding period of 2025-26. Net GST revenue during the period rose 10.4% to ₹10.66 lakh crore.
While the latest figures point to sustained revenue growth, analysts have noted that the faster increase in import-related collections means the headline growth should be viewed alongside the performance of domestic GST revenues.