Ahead of Budget 2026, January GST Collection Hits Rs 1.93 Lakh Crore, A 6.2% Rise

India's GST mop-up climbed to Rs 1.93 lakh crore in January, a 6.2 percent rise driven by firm domestic demand and strong import activity. The gain marks steady fiscal momentum even as refunds and cess collections show stress.

Gross GST revenue for January came in at Rs 1,93,384 crore, compared with Rs 1,82,094 crore a year earlier. The Centre's year-to-date tally for April to January rose to Rs 18,43,423 crore, an 8.3 percent jump that signals consistent compliance and consumption strength.

Net GST revenue stood at Rs 1,70,719 crore for January, growing 7.6 percent. Cumulative net revenue reached Rs 15,95,752 crore, up 6.8 percent on-year.

Refunds cooled, slipping 3.1 percent to Rs 22,665 crore. Domestic refunds fell 7.1 percent, while export refunds inched up 2.9 percent. Domestic GST collections rose 4.8 percent to Rs 1,41,132 crore. Import GST stayed robust at Rs 52,253 crore, up 10.1 percent from last year.

Compensation cess tumbled 55.6 percent to Rs 5,768 crore, reflecting the tapering of transitional mechanisms.
State-by-state, the tax pulse was uneven. Manufacturing-heavy states led gains: Haryana up 27 percent, Maharashtra 15 percent, Gujarat 13 percent, Himachal Pradesh 18 percent and Punjab 12 percent. Mid-tier growth came from Tamil Nadu at 5 percent, Karnataka 7 percent, Uttar Pradesh 2 percent, Delhi 3 percent and West Bengal 1 percent. Declines hit Madhya Pradesh at minus 15 percent, Jharkhand minus 6 percent, Odisha minus 10 percent, Chhattisgarh minus 23 percent, and Ladakh and Lakshadweep at minus 30 percent each.

Union Territories showed similar volatility. Chandigarh grew 15 percent and Puducherry 11 percent, while Lakshadweep posted a steep drop.