New Delhi, April 1 -- Goods and Services Tax collections rose about 9 per cent year-on-year in March, crossing the Rs 2 lakh crore mark again and reaching the third-highest monthly level in the 2025-26 financial year, according to government data released on Wednesday.
The gross GST mop-up stood above Rs 2 lakh crore in March 2026, compared with Rs 1.83 lakh crore in March 2025. The increase was supported by higher revenues from both domestic transactions and imports. Gross domestic GST collections grew 5.9 per cent to more than Rs 1.46 lakh crore, while revenues from imports registered a sharper rise of 17.8 per cent to Rs 53,861 crore.
Officials said the March performance reflects steady consumption trends and improved compliance. Refunds issued during the month rose 13.8 per cent to Rs 22,074 crore. After accounting for refunds, net GST revenues were about Rs 1.78 lakh crore, marking an 8.2 per cent increase from a year earlier.
Within the fiscal year, April 2025 recorded the highest-ever monthly GST collection at over Rs 2.36 lakh crore, followed by May at more than Rs 2.01 lakh crore. March's tally ranks third for the year.
For the full 2025-26 fiscal, GST collections grew 8.3 per cent year-on-year to exceed Rs 22.27 lakh crore.
The figures come after significant tax changes introduced in September 2025, when rates on around 375 items were reduced. The earlier four-slab structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent was streamlined into two main slabs of 5 and 18 per cent, alongside a 40 per cent rate for select ultra-luxury and tobacco products.
Collections had dipped to Rs 1.70 lakh crore in November following the changes, before recovering to Rs 1.74 lakh crore in December, Rs 1.93 lakh crore in January and over Rs 1.83 lakh crore in February. State-wise data showed strong growth in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana, while Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh recorded relatively slower gains.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.