Tax Triumph: India’s Direct Tax Revenue Climbs 6.3% in First Half FY26

India’s direct tax collections have demonstrated robust growth in the first half of the fiscal year 2025-26, with net direct tax revenues rising by 6.33% year-on-year to ₹11.89 trillion (₹11.89 lakh crore) from April 1 to October 12, 2025. This growth underscores the resilience and dynamism of India's tax base amid evolving economic conditions.

 

Key highlights of the tax collection performance:

 

Net direct tax collection reached ₹11.89 trillion compared with ₹11.18 trillion in the same period last year, reflecting a solid increase.

 

Gross direct tax collections, before adjusting for refunds, grew 2.36% year-on-year to ₹13.92 trillion.

 

The government issued refunds worth ₹2.03 trillion during the period, marking a 16% decline compared to the previous year's refund payouts.

 

Corporate tax collections rose to approximately ₹5.02 trillion, up from ₹4.92 trillion a year earlier, indicating strong corporate profitability and compliance.

 

Non-corporate tax revenue, comprising individual taxpayers and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), surged to about ₹6.56 trillion from ₹5.94 trillion, reflecting improved tax compliance and economic activity among individuals.

 

Securities Transaction Tax (STT) collections also showed growth, rising to ₹30,878 crore from ₹30,630 crore last year, denoting increased market participation and transaction volumes.

 

The Indian government has set a full-year direct tax collection target of ₹25.20 trillion for 2025-26, aiming for a 12.7% increase over the previous year. This strong performance in the first half provides a positive indication towards meeting or surpassing that target.

 

The decline in refund payouts also signals enhanced efficiency in tax processing and compliance management by the Income Tax Department. Improved collections from both corporate and non-corporate taxpayers reflect broad-based economic growth and sustained fiscal discipline.

 

This tax revenue increase is crucial for the government’s fiscal health, enabling continued funding for development programs and public welfare initiatives as India maintains its growth trajectory.

 

Source Economic Times, Reuters, Moneycontrol, Business Standard, The Hindu Business Line, NDTV Profit