GST collections up 6.2% in January, crossing ₹1.93 lakh crore:Net revenue up 7.6% to ₹1.70 lakh crore as, imports grow 10%

In January 2026, GST collection rose by 6.2% to cross ₹1.93 lakh crore. According to government data released on February 1, GST collection stood at ₹1.82 lakh crore in January 2025. This steady rise has continued even after tax rates were reduced in September. The increase has been driven by strong domestic demand and higher import activity. However, there was a slight slowdown in cess collection and refunds. The tax collected from imports totalled ₹52,253 crore, which is 10.1% higher than the previous year. Total collection from April to January reaches ₹18.43 lakh crore The total gross GST collection for the first ten months (April to January) of the 2025–26 financial year reached ₹18.43 lakh crore. This is an increase of 8.3% compared to the same period last year. Experts say GST collections remain strong due to improved tax compliance and rising consumption across the country. Net revenue at ₹1.70 lakh crore, refunds fall by 3% After adjusting for refunds in January, the government’s net GST revenue stood at ₹1,70,719 crore, showing a yearly growth of 7.6%. Refunds fell by 3.1% to ₹22,665 crore. Domestic refunds dropped by 7.1%, while export-related refunds rose slightly by 2.9%. Haryana records 27% rise, Chhattisgarh sees 23% fall GST collection trends across states were mixed. Manufacturing-focused states recorded stronger growth. Haryana reported the highest increase at 27%. On the other hand, some states saw sharp declines. Chhattisgarh recorded the largest decline, with GST collection down 23%. Chandigarh and Puducherry lead among Union Territories GST collections in Union Territories also varied. Chandigarh saw a 15% increase, while Puducherry recorded an 11% rise. Smaller regions such as Lakshadweep and Ladakh saw a sharp fall of up to 30%. Meanwhile, large states like Uttar Pradesh (2%), Delhi (3%), and West Bengal (1%) recorded very slow growth. Compensation cess drops by over 55% Compensation cess collection fell sharply in January, declining by 55.6% to ₹5,768 crore. Experts say this is due to the gradual withdrawal of the transitional compensation system meant to support states during the early years of GST. April 2025 records highest GST collection The highest-ever GST collection was recorded in April 2025, when the government collected ₹2.37 lakh crore. This was a 12.6% rise compared to the previous year. Earlier, the record was set in April 2024, when GST collection stood at ₹2.10 lakh crore. GST collection reflects economic health GST collection is an important indicator of the country’s economic health. Higher collections suggest strong consumer spending, increased factory output, and better tax compliance. GST introduced in 2017 GST was implemented nationwide on July 1, 2017. With its introduction, 17 central and state taxes and 13 cesses were removed.