GST Collections Rise 15% YoY to Nearly Rs 2 Lakh Crore in August

India’s gross Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections rose 15% year-on-year (YoY) to nearly Rs 2 lakh crore in August, extending a period of strong revenue growth, according to government data released on September 1. Gross GST collections stood at Rs 1.998 lakh crore in August, compared with Rs 1.74 lakh crore in the same month last year. The latest increase follows 15.4% growth in July and 13.9% in June, marking the third consecutive month of double-digit growth.

Import Revenues Drive Growth

The rise in August collections was led largely by GST revenue from imports.

Import-related gross GST revenue increased 29% to Rs 62,604 crore in August from Rs 48,546 crore a year earlier. In comparison, domestic GST revenue grew 9.3% to Rs 1.37 lakh crore from Rs 1.26 lakh crore.

The stronger growth in import-related collections provided a significant boost to the overall GST revenue figure during the month.

Higher Refunds Moderate Net Collections

While gross collections remained strong, net GST revenue grew at a slower pace because of a sharp increase in refunds.

Total refunds rose 67.9% to Rs 31,795 crore in August from Rs 18,935 crore a year earlier. Domestic refunds increased 72.6%, while export GST refunds processed through ICEGATE rose 61.8%.

After accounting for refunds, net GST collections increased 8.3% to Rs 1.68 lakh crore, compared with Rs 1.55 lakh crore in August 2025.

Net domestic GST revenue grew 3.4% to Rs 1.19 lakh crore, while net customs GST collections rose 22.3% to Rs 49,299 crore.

GST Collections Rise 11% in FY27 So Far

For the April-August period of FY27, gross GST collections increased 11% to Rs 10.43 lakh crore, compared with Rs 9.40 lakh crore during the corresponding period last year.

Domestic gross GST revenue grew 5.3% during the first five months of the financial year, while revenue from imports increased 27.3%.

Net GST collections rose 9% to Rs 8.90 lakh crore during April-August. Cumulative refunds during the period increased 23.8% to Rs 1.53 lakh crore.

State-Level Performance Varies

GST collection growth remained uneven across major states in August.

Uttar Pradesh recorded 19% growth in domestic GST collections, followed by Telangana at 16% and Gujarat at 15%. Karnataka and Kerala recorded 13% growth each, while Haryana and Punjab reported 12% growth.

Maharashtra, the country’s largest contributor, recorded an 8% increase in collections to Rs 28,779 crore.

Some states reported declines. Tamil Nadu’s collections fell 1%, while Odisha and Andhra Pradesh recorded 7% declines each. Rajasthan and Goa saw collections fall 2%.

Assam recorded a sharp 162% increase in GST collections during the month.

What the Numbers Show

The August data points to continued strength in India’s overall tax revenue, but the composition of growth is important. Import-related GST collections grew much faster than domestic revenues, while the sharp increase in refunds moderated the rise in net collections.

The sustained growth in gross GST revenue through the first five months of FY27 provides a positive signal for government tax receipts. However, the relatively slower growth in net collections highlights the impact of rising refunds on the revenue available after adjustments.

Source: Moneycontrol