India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection surged nearly 23 per cent year-on-year to ₹2.31 lakh crore in October 2026, driven by festive-season demand, increased economic activity and improved tax compliance, according to data released by the GST portal.
Domestic GST revenue rose around 16 per cent to approximately ₹1.59 lakh crore, while collections from imports registered a stronger growth of over 42 per cent to more than ₹72,000 crore.
GST refunds during the month stood at around ₹28,000 crore, up 6.5 per cent compared with October last year. Consequently, net GST collections crossed ₹2 lakh crore, registering a growth of approximately 26 per cent year-on-year.
The strong revenue performance reflects increased consumer spending, retail activity and movement of goods during the festive season. October’s collections largely relate to goods consumed and services availed in September.
Vivek Jalan, Partner at Tax Connect Advisory Services, said the growth in domestic collections indicates rising consumption demand, higher economic activity and strengthening GDP growth momentum. He added that increased import-linked collections reflect higher procurement of raw materials and intermediate goods, suggesting expansion in domestic manufacturing and capacity utilisation.
Manoj Mishra, Partner at Grant Thornton Bharat, noted that festive-season demand had contributed to higher consumer spending and retail activity. He emphasised that domestic revenue growth remains an important indicator of the underlying economic momentum, as import collections can also be influenced by import volumes, commodity prices and the value of imported goods.
Saurabh Agarwal, Tax Partner at EY India, attributed the steady revenue growth to strong consumption and improving compliance. He also highlighted the need to strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities and recalibrate Production Linked Incentive schemes in sectors where allocated budgets remain underutilised.
M.S. Mani, Partner at Deloitte India, said the festive-season consumption boom had helped net GST collections cross the ₹2 lakh crore mark, with the positive trend expected to continue amid favourable domestic economic indicators.
Ikesh Nagpal, Lead, Indirect Taxation at AKM Global, said GST is increasingly reflecting economic formalisation and business activity. He added that the 57th GST Council’s recommendations on faster refunds, simplified registration, improved input tax credit mechanisms and streamlined compliance could further strengthen the tax ecosystem and improve ease of doing business.