India’s gross Goods and Services Tax collection rose 14.7 per cent year on year to Rs 2,03,521 crore in September, official data released on October 1 showed.

Revenue from domestic transactions grew 10.1 per cent to about Rs 1,37,996 crore. Revenue from imports surged 26 per cent to Rs 65,525 crore. GST refunds slowed 3 per cent to Rs 27,001 crore. After refunds, net collection rose 18.1 per cent to Rs 1,76,520 crore.

This is the third month in the current financial year that gross collection has crossed Rs 2 lakh crore. April touched a record Rs 2.43 lakh crore and July crossed Rs 2.11 lakh crore.

For the first half of the fiscal, gross collection grew 11.6 per cent to Rs 12,46,278 crore. Net collection rose 10.4 per cent to more than Rs 10.66 lakh crore.

EY India tax partner Saurabh Agarwal said growth of close to 15 per cent shows domestic demand continues to do well. Grant Thornton’s Manoj Mishra cautioned the import surge should not be read wholly as domestic strength. The next GST Council meeting is on October 7, with no major rate changes expected.