Why Do Indians Pay So Much Direct Taxes?

In the first half of the fiscal year 2025-26 (April–September period), India’s net direct tax collections climbed approximately 9 percent year-on-year, crossing the ₹10.82-lakh crore mark. This growth comes amid volatile macroeconomic conditions, evolving corporate profitability, and shifting tax administration dynamics. The surge is particularly notable given that gross collections grew only modestly, while tax refunds fell sharply. This pattern merits a closer look: what is powering the rise, how sustainable is it, and what does it imply for government finances and fiscal policy?

In what follows, I dissect the revenue components, highlight key trends, incorporate supporting data in table form, and draw out the implications and risks before concluding.

Trends in Net vs Gross Direct Tax Collections

The distinction between gross and net collections is vital. Gross collections reflect the total receipts before refunds; net collections represent the residual after refunds are disbursed. In the recent period, India saw a moderate uptick in gross direct tax receipts combined with a pronounced decline in refunds, pushing net collections higher than what growth in receipts alone would suggest.

From April 1 to September 17, 2025:
 

• Gross direct tax collections reached around ₹12.43 lakh crore, representing a year-on-year growth of 3.39 %.
   
• Refunds issued during this period fell by 23.87 %, coming in at approximately ₹1.60 lakh crore.
   
• Net direct tax collections thus rose by about 9.18 %, reaching ₹10.82 lakh crore.
   

The differential between gross and net growth underscores the role of refund management and timing in driving headline revenue growth.

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Table: Key Direct Tax Figures (Apr–Sep 2025 vs Prior Year)

Below is a comparative snapshot of major tax components over the April–September period, illustrating how various subcomponents contributed to net growth.
 

Note: Figures are rounded and drawn from government release periods covering April 1 to September 17, 2025.

This table reveals a few key takeaways. First, advance tax collections have increased, powered largely by corporates. Second, while non-corporate (individual or non-company) advance tax has declined, this softness has been offset by corporate strength and lower refunds. Lastly, the fall in refunds has acted as a lever in pushing net collection growth higher than gross collection growth alone would permit.

The interplay of these components suggests that headline growth in net tax intake is not merely a function of stronger receipts, but also prudent or favorable timing of refunds, along with differential performance across taxpayer segments.

Drivers behind the Surge in Direct Tax Revenues

To understand the underlying momentum, several contributing forces deserve attention:

1. Strong Corporate Advance Tax Performance

Among the most striking statistics is the 6.11 % rise in corporate advance tax payments during the period. This suggests that many companies anticipate solid profitability and are complying by prepaying taxes. The uptick in corporate deposits is a positive signal of corporate sector confidence, especially in sectors with stable earnings or export linkages.

2. Dip in Refunds Accelerating Net Growth

Refunds are generally responsive to tax filings and assessments. A 23.87 % drop in refunds implies a lower outflow from the revenue pool, bolstering net collections. Several factors could underlie reduced refund liability: fewer excess TDS, stricter filtering and audits of refund claims, or timing delays in processing. Regardless, the lower refunds have accentuated the net growth.

3. Divergent Performance Among Non-Corporate Taxpayers

While corporate yields have improved, the non-corporate advance tax bucket saw a decline of 7.30 %, indicating sluggish prepayments from individuals, freelancers, and small businesses. However, non-corporate net collections (post refunds) still grew—13.67 % year-on-year—suggesting that the decline in their refund claims contributed to net upside. The pattern hints at asymmetric performance: weaker forward payments but benefit from lower refund outgo.

4. Broader Growth and Compliance Momentum

Underlying macro conditions and tax administration changes are also at play. Indian direct tax collections have exhibited structural growth over the past decade, reflecting expanding compliance, deeper penetration of formal economic activity, and evolving digitization of tax systems. The number of income tax returns filed has grown sharply over the last five years, indicating an expanding taxpayer base.

At the same time, increased focus on audits, better analytics, tighter verification of refunds, and enforcement of anti-evasion measures are gradually strengthening the revenue architecture. For instance, unrealised direct tax demands—assessed but not yet collected—remain substantial, but efforts to resolve litigation and enhance recovery are ongoing.

Moreover, corporate profitability in many sectors, especially in manufacturing, IT, chemicals, and exports, has shown resilience, helping sustain tax yield. The buoyancy of capital gains and asset monetization in recent years has also supported direct tax growth.

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Historical Context & Comparative Trends

Putting the recent performance in perspective helps sharpen the implications. Over FY 2024–25, India’s gross direct tax collections surged 15.59 % year-on-year, crossing ₹27.02 lakh crore. Refunds in that year also rose steeply (26.04 %), limiting net growth somewhat. In net terms, collections in FY 2024–25 stood at around ₹21.27 lakh crore, representing a net growth of ~13.13 %.

Over longer timeframes, direct tax collections (converted to USD) have grown steadily—rising from roughly US$120 billion in FY 2018 to over US$225 billion in FY 2024—reflecting the broader structural shift toward a more formalized and tax-compliant economy.

Yet, despite the growth in collections, India’s tax-to-GDP ratio remains below many peers, indicating room for further revenue mobilization. The structural challenge remains to broaden the tax base, reduce exemptions, and prevent leakage.

Implications, Risks and Policy Considerations

Implications for Fiscal Health

The sharp rise in net direct tax revenues provides the government with additional fiscal space. This can help in meeting expanded capital expenditure commitments, social sector spending, and macro buffers without overreliance on deficit financing. Enhanced revenue inflows can also reduce the need for off-budget borrowings or creative accounting.

Moreover, improving direct tax collections helps the government reduce dependence on indirect taxes, which are sometimes distortionary or regressive.

Risks to Sustainability

However, a few red flags deserve mention:
 

• Refund reversals or delays: If refund issuance is delayed excessively, revenue growth may be artificially inflated in the short run, only to catch up later with higher outflows.
   
• Volatility in corporate profits: A future downturn in corporate earnings could dampen advance tax inflows, especially if sectors like real estate, banking, or cyclical manufacturing weaken.
   
• Stagnant non-corporate growth: The decline in non-corporate advance tax is symptomatic of softness among individual and small-entity taxpayers. If this segment weakens further, it could limit the base.
   
• Litigation and unsettled demands: A large portion of assessed but unsettled tax demand remains under dispute. Unless resolution improves, the risk of tax writeoffs or appeals may erode revenue certainty.

Policy Levers to Strengthen Collections

To sustain momentum and mitigate risks, the government may consider:
 

1. Further streamlining refund processes to reduce delays and build trust.
    
2. Expanding the tax base by incentivizing formalization of small enterprises and improving TDS/TCS tracking.
    
3. Rationalizing exemptions and deductions that erode the tax base, especially when such measures offer limited social benefit.
    
4. Enhancing enforcement, audit and dispute resolution mechanisms, including fast-track appeal settlements to reduce stuck liabilities.
    

Conclusion

India’s net direct tax collections have recorded an impressive ~9 percent year-on-year rise in the April–September window, driven by robust corporate advance tax payments and a notable drop in refunds. While gross collections have also grown, the sharper increase in net inflows underscores how timing and administrative discipline can significantly influence revenue outcomes.

Yet, caution is warranted. The momentum hinges on continued corporate profitability, effective refund management, and reinvigorated contribution from non-corporate taxpayers. For sustainable revenue growth, balancing short-term tactics with deeper reforms—broadening the tax base, rationalizing exemptions, and strengthening enforcement—will be key.

If managed wisely, the current surge can help India stay on course toward its fiscal goals, underwrite higher public investment, and gradually reduce the deficit burden. But vigilance is essential: revenue spikes should mirror real economic strength, not accounting artifacts.