Active GST taxpayers in India as of Feb 2023, by type

As of January 2023, the number of entities liable to pay the goods and services tax in India under the "normal taxpayer" category consisted of more than 12.2 million taxpayers. Overall, there were over 14 million registered GST taxpayers during this time. The GST was introduced by the Indian government on July 1, 2017, as a singular indirect tax on the supply of goods and services, which replaced most of the existing indirect taxes levied in the country.

GST structure

While the GST is paid by consumers, it is conveyed to the government by the businesses providing the goods and services. Currently, GST has a tier tax structure of five percent, 12 percent, 18 percent, and 28 percent, with some exceptions for gold and real estate. Items such as food, education, and healthcare are exempt from GST. Luxury items and comfort goods are categorized under higher slabs, whereas necessities are included in lower and nil slab rates. The Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) provides a single interface for taxpayers and governments. The system provides processes like registration, filing of returns, and tax payments, online.

Impact on the economy

GST implementation has proved to be beneficial on various fronts. These include higher revenues, uniformity in taxation, increased transparency, elimination of cascading taxes, online process, and efficient logistics and distribution system. As the GST gains wider acceptance, it is slowly leading to the formalization of the Indian economy.