Goods and Services Tax in India: Continuity and Change

Abstract

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a value-added form of indirect taxation designed as a comprehensive levy on the supply and consumption of goods and services at the national level. This paper examines the theme of continuity and change in Indian Tax Reforms with a specific focus on developments and their implications on business persons. This study examines the effects of the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, and the changes introduced in India’s indirect tax framework by replacing the old taxation system and also analyses how GST has progressed from the initial implementation to subsequent rate rationalisation, procedural simplification and technology driven compliance mechanism. The GST is intended to subsume and replace all existing indirect tax imposed on goods and services by both the Central and State Governments of India. The tax reforms represent a continuous process through which fiscal or fiduciary systems adapt to evolving economic realities, government priorities and business environment. Since its introduction in 2017, GST has substantially reshaped the framework of indirect taxation, influencing business practices in financial reporting and regulatory compliances. It is designed to be a comprehensive tax applicable to a broad range of goods and services. The reform is regarded as transformative for the Indian economy, as it facilitates the creation of the unified national market and mitigates the cascading effects of taxes on the cost of goods and services. The significant changes have occurred in tax rates, exemptions, compliance norms and digital enforcement where these reforms have enhanced transparency and revenue efficiency but have also increased compliance responsibilities for businesses. The study adopts a qualitative analysis of secondary data covering the period from 2017 to 2025. The paper concludes that Indian tax reforms demonstrate a balance between continuity in policy vision and change in implementation strategy, with the evolving GST framework playing a central role in shaping a stable yet adaptive tax environment for businesses in India.