India’s net direct tax collections rose by over 23% to ₹8.11 lakh crore as of August 10, 2026, reflecting a broad-based increase driven primarily by non-corporate tax receipts, signalling a robust start to the financial year.
India’s net direct tax collections climbed 23.09% year on year to ₹8.11 lakh crore by August 10, 2026, according to data released by the Income Tax Department, marking a sharp improvement on the ₹6.59 lakh crore collected in the same period a year earlier. Gross direct tax receipts reached ₹9.55 lakh crore, up 19.75% from ₹7.97 lakh crore in the comparable period of 2025, suggesting a broad-based rise in revenue early in the financial year.
The main driver was non-corporate tax, which covers payments from individuals, Hindu undivided families, firms and other entities. Collections from that segment rose to ₹5.07 lakh crore from ₹4.11 lakh crore a year earlier, making it the largest contributor to net direct tax revenue. Corporate tax receipts also strengthened, increasing to ₹2.70 lakh crore from ₹2.26 lakh crore. Securities Transaction Tax contributed another lift, rising to ₹33,823.74 crore from ₹22,354.31 crore.
Refunds also rose, though at a far slower pace than collections. The department said refunds totalled ₹1.43 lakh crore, up 3.79% from ₹1.38 lakh crore a year earlier. Even so, the net gain of ₹1.52 lakh crore over the corresponding period in 2025 points to a stronger tax take than in last year’s early-monsoon collections.
The latest figures contrast sharply with the softer trend seen a year earlier. Business Standard reported that by August 11, 2025, net direct tax collections had fallen by nearly 4% to about ₹6.63 trillion, while gross collections had slipped 1.87% to ₹7.99 trillion, as higher corporation tax refunds weighed on receipts. Reuters-style comparisons with July data also show the pace has quickened in recent weeks: the New Indian Express reported on July 13, 2026, that net direct tax collections had already risen 16.4% to more than ₹6.51 lakh crore, driven by stronger corporate and individual tax inflows.
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