April GST collections hit Rs 2.42 lakh crore, refunds jump 19% YoY to Rs 31,793 crore

GST Collection in April 2026: India began the new financial year on a steady fiscal note, with Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections showing healthy growth in April 2026. According to official data released by the Finance Ministry, the total gross GST revenue for the previous month stood at Rs 2,42,702 crore. This shows an increase of 8.7 per cent compared to the collection in April 2025, i.e., Rs 2,23,265 crore.

This increase was mainly due to a significant surge in import-related taxes, which far exceeded domestic collections at the beginning of the new financial year.

Import-led growth drives overall GST collections higher in April

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The total revenue from imports this month stood at Rs 57,580 crore, registering a growth of 25.8 per cent over Rs 45,754 crore recorded in April 2025. Meanwhile, gross domestic revenue increased by 4.3 per cent to Rs 1,85,122 crore. This total domestic revenue includes Rs 52,140 crore in central GST, Rs 61,331 crore in state GST, and Rs 71,651 crore in integrated GST.

Net GST collections remain robust despite higher refund outgo

After adjusting for refunds, net GST revenue for April 2026 stood at Rs 2,10,909 crore, representing a growth of 7.3 per cent over the previous year. Total refunds for the month rose 19.3 per cent to Rs 31,793 crore.

Sharp rise in domestic refunds contrasts with decline in export-related payouts

Within the total refunds, domestic refunds saw a sharp jump, rising to Rs 19,996 crore from Rs 12,931 crore a year ago. Export-related refunds, however, moved the other way. Payments routed through ICEGATE fell to Rs 11,797 crore, a drop of 14 per cent compared to last April.

Customs-linked revenues surge while domestic net growth remains nearly flat

The gap between import and domestic trends is even more visible in net terms. Revenue linked to customs surged 42.9 per cent, while domestic net revenue barely registered any change, inching up just 0.3 per cent.

State-wise performance remains uneven, with strong gains in some regions and stagnation in others

State-level numbers reflect a mixed picture. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Puducherry posted strong growth in their SGST collections in April. Elsewhere, Ladakh saw a decline, and Jharkhand’s numbers were largely flat. According to the data,

• Maharashtra (+40%),
• Karnataka (+42%),
• Telangana (+36%)
• Puducherry (+108%)
• Ladakh (-8%) and
• Jharkhand (0%)

Also Read: Key changes from May 1, 2026: LPG price hike, duty changes, online gaming rules and more take effect

Previous month comparison shows continued upward trend in GST collections

Last month, India's total GST collection stood at Rs 2,00,064 crore, registering a growth of 8.8 per cent compared to Rs 1,83,845 crore in March 2025.

Key GST Collection Highlights – April 2026 vs April 2025