The Gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection increased by 8.7 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in April to an all-time high of Rs 2.43 lakh crore, majorly due to rise in import revenue, according to the data released by Finance Ministry.
The import-related taxes exceeded the domestic collections at the beginning of the new fiscal year, the data showed.
The latest collection exceeded the previous record of more than Rs 2.23 lakh crore achieved in April last year. Net GST mop-up increased 7.3 per cent to approximately Rs 2.11 lakh crore after adjusting for refunds.
In April 2026, GST mop-up from imports grew 25.8 percent to Rs 57,580 crore, while gross revenues from domestic transactions gained 4.3 percent to over Rs 1.85 lakh crore. Refunds totaled Rs 31,793 crore in April, up 19.3 percent.
The April GST figures revealed a record gross collection, with increased revenues from imports and domestic activities. Data shows that Telangana (36 percent), Puducherry (108 percent), Maharashtra (40 percent), and Karnataka (42 percent) all had significant on-year growth in April.
GST collections increased by double digits in the majority of major states, with Punjab and Chandigarh showing the fastest growth rates of at least 65 per cent. However, for the majority of the states, the annual GST collection for FY 26 has drastically decreased.
After Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand, Sikkim saw the worst decline in the yearly collection, falling by almost 45 per cent.
Manoj Mishra, Partner and Tax Controversy Management Leader, Grant Thornton Bharat, said the 25.8 per cent surge in import revenues points to resilient external demand linkages and supply chain normalisation. With refunds up 19.3 percent, the system continues to balance revenue buoyancy with liquidity efficiency, an important marker of GST maturity.
“The dominance of large, consumption-driven states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh highlights both compliance depth and economic concentration. Set against global headwinds, India’s GST performance mirrors its macro story, the fastest-growing major economy at 6.5 per cent, underscoring a structurally formalising, demand-led growth cycle,” he added.
