Inside October's ₹2.31 lakh crore GST haul: imports up 42%, net revenue up 25.6% and the states pulling ahead
A deep dive into October 2026 GST data: why imports drove growth, how refunds moved, which states grew fastest and what it means for GST compliance.
October 2026 delivered India's fastest GST growth in over four years: gross collections up 22.9% to ₹2,31,290 crore. Imports did the heavy lifting, with import GST up 42.2% against 15.8% for domestic GST. Refunds grew only 6.5%, so net GST rose 25.6% to ₹2,03,356 crore. Among large states, Uttar Pradesh (24%) and Karnataka (18%) outpaced Maharashtra (13%), while Tamil Nadu grew 3%.
October's GST release reads like a headline number, but the detail underneath tells businesses far more: where the money came from, how fast refunds are moving and which states are pulling ahead. This analysis works through the official figures line by line.
1. The headline: fastest growth in over four years
Gross GST rose by ₹43,165 crore over October 2025. Growth jumped from 14.7% in September, and October became the second-largest month of FY 2026-27 after April's ₹2.43 lakh crore.
2. Imports did the heavy lifting
Import GST grew 42.2% to ₹72,246 crore while domestic GST grew 15.8% to ₹1,59,044 crore. Imports are less than a third of collections but supplied about half of the increase. After refunds, net import GST jumped 56.2% to ₹58,319 crore.
3. Refunds grew slowly, lifting net revenue
| ₹ crore | October 2025 | October 2026 | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic refunds | 12,757 | 14,007 | +9.8% |
| IGST refunds (ICEGATE) | 13,468 | 13,927 | +3.4% |
| Total refunds | 26,225 | 27,934 | +6.5% |
With refunds up only 6.5%, net GST grew faster than gross. Exporters should watch this closely: slower refund growth during a collection surge can mean longer queues for IGST and inverted-duty refunds.
4. The state picture
| State | Domestic GST, Oct 2026 (₹ crore) | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 35,150 | 13% |
| Karnataka | 15,922 | 18% |
| Gujarat | 13,516 | 16% |
| Tamil Nadu | 11,661 | 3% |
| Uttar Pradesh | 10,235 | 24% |
| Delhi | 9,298 | 10% |
Maharashtra still collects more than twice any other state, but Uttar Pradesh crossed ₹10,000 crore with the fastest growth among the big six. States settle SGST after IGST apportionment: post-settlement SGST was ₹1,03,341 crore in October, up 13%.
5. The year so far
- IGST (incl. imports)59.2%
- SGST22.2%
- CGST18.6%
From April to October 2026 gross GST reached ₹14,77,569 crore, up 13.2%, and net GST ₹12,69,486 crore, up 12.6%. October's spike lifts the year's average but the cumulative growth is the better guide to the trend.
6. What to watch next
- November data, due on 1 December 2026, will show whether import strength holds.
- Refund processing times for exporters, given refunds grew far slower than collections.
- Input tax credit scrutiny: strong collections tend to accompany tighter matching between GSTR-2B and returns.
Method
Figures are from the GST Network's October 2026 collection release as compiled by A2Z Taxcorp and reported by All India Radio. Increases, shares and contributions are Refogo calculations from those figures. Data is provisional.
Related services
Sources
- GST collections data for October 2026 (GSTN release), as compiled by A2Z Taxcorp, 2 November 2026
- All India Radio News, 1 November 2026: gross GST rises 23% to ₹2.31 lakh crore
Reported by the Refogo News Desk from the official sources above. General information, not legal or tax advice. Spotted an error? Email support@refogo.com; see our corrections policy.
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Common questions
How much GST was collected in October 2026?
Gross GST was ₹2,31,290 crore, up 22.9% from ₹1,88,125 crore in October 2025. Net GST after refunds was ₹2,03,356 crore, up 25.6%.
Why did GST collections rise so much in October 2026?
GST on imports rose 42.2% to ₹72,246 crore, supplying about half of the increase, while domestic GST grew 15.8% and refunds grew only 6.5%.
Which state collected the most GST in October 2026?
Maharashtra, with ₹35,150 crore of domestic GST, up 13%. Among large states, Uttar Pradesh grew fastest at 24%.