India’s GST Collections Rise 6.2% to Over ₹1.93 Lakh Crore in January
Higher import-related revenues helped boost GST collections despite lower refunds and reduced cess income.
India’s gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections increased by 6.2 per cent to more than ₹1.93 lakh crore in January, driven mainly by stronger revenue from imports, according to official sources.
After accounting for refunds, net GST revenue for the month stood at around ₹1.71 lakh crore, marking a growth of 7.6 per cent compared to the same period last year. Total refunds issued during January declined by 3.1 per cent to ₹22,665 crore.
GST collections from domestic transactions rose by 4.8 per cent to ₹1.41 lakh crore, while revenues from imports recorded a sharper increase of 10.1 per cent, reaching ₹52,253 crore.
Cess collections, largely from tobacco and related products, amounted to ₹5,768 crore in January. This is significantly lower than the ₹13,009 crore collected in the same month last year. The decline is mainly due to changes in the compensation cess structure.
From September 22, 2025, the government reduced GST rates on around 375 items, making many goods cheaper for consumers. In addition, the compensation cess is now applied only to tobacco and similar products, instead of luxury, sin, and demerit goods such as cars. These changes have had an impact on overall GST and cess collections.
Despite these adjustments, the steady rise in net GST revenue reflects resilience in economic activity, particularly in import-driven segments.
