GST 2.0 Revolution: 7 Powerful Demands Indian Businesses Say Will Transform Growth

Indian businesses overwhelmingly endorse GST’s transformative impact after eight years, with 85% reporting a positive experience driven by digitization and proactive policy engagement. Satisfaction is notably rising among MSMEs. However, the Deloitte India survey reveals a strong consensus demanding “GST 2.0” reforms to address persistent friction. Key priorities include streamlining dispute resolution to curb arbitrary assessments, rationalizing tax rates across sectors, and significantly expediting refunds to unclog cash flow. Businesses also seek audit uniformity between states and the centre, plus modernized rules for new-age industries and exports. While praising tech adoption like e-invoicing, they urge thoughtful portal refinements. Crucially, industry leaders express readiness to collaborate with a listening government to evolve GST into a truly transparent, efficient, and growth-focused system.

GST 2.0 Revolution: 7 Powerful Demands Indian Businesses Say Will Transform Growth

Eight years after its revolutionary launch, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has earned significant approval from Indian businesses, but the message is clear: it’s time for the next evolution. A major Deloitte India survey reveals strong consensus on GST’s transformative power, coupled with an urgent call for thoughtful refinements to unlock its full potential. 

Overwhelming Approval, Driven by Digital Shift: 

• 85% Satisfaction: A striking 85% of the 960 business leaders surveyed – spanning small enterprises to large corporations across tech, energy, banking, consumer goods, and more – reported a positive GST journey over the past eight years. 

• MSME Confidence Rises: Confidence is particularly growing among Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), jumping to 82% positive perception in 2025 from 78% in 2024. 

• Digital Transformation Wins: Businesses overwhelmingly credit this success to the digitization of compliance and proactive government engagement on tax policy. Features like auto-population of returns using e-invoicing data are hailed as major efficiency boosters. 

• Growing Trust: Deloitte India highlights a steady rise in GST confidence, soaring from 59% in 2022 to the current 85%, fueled by maturing compliance systems and continuous digital improvements. 

The Push for “GST 2.0”: Addressing PGST 2.0, GST reform India, Indian businesses GST, GST survey 2025, Deloitte GST report, GST dispute resolution, GST refunds India, GST rate rationalization, MSME GST perception, GST digital transformation, GST compliance India, GST audit readiness, GST for exporters, GST and digital economy, GST circulars clarity, GST portal improvements, GST policy 2025, GST simplification, GST refund delays, GST collaboration with governmentersistent Friction 

Despite the progress, businesses pinpoint critical areas needing reform to move from a functioning system to a genuinely growth-enabling one: 

• Faster, Fairer Dispute Resolution: Businesses cite “persistent impediments” stemming from complex disputes. They demand: 

• A strengthened, more efficient dispute resolution mechanism. 

• Curbing hasty assessments and ensuring time-bound scrutiny processes. 

• Enforcing GST circulars consistently to provide clarity and prevent arbitrary interpretations. 

• Achieving audit uniformity between Central and State authorities to eliminate conflicting demands. 

• Rationalize Rates & Refunds: 

• Simplified Rate Structure: There’s a strong call for rationalizing GST rates across sectors to reduce classification disputes and complexity. 

• Expedited Refunds: Delays in obtaining refunds remain a significant pain point, directly impacting cash flow, especially for exporters. Businesses seek a much faster, more predictable refund process. 

• Export Liberalization: Reforming rules to actively promote exports is a key priority. 

• Evolving the Tech Backbone: 

• While technology adoption (like the GST portal) is widely acknowledged, businesses now seek “thoughtful refinements” to further enhance portal efficiency and user experience beyond basic compliance. 

• 99% IT Readiness: Demonstrating commitment, 99% of surveyed businesses report their IT systems are fully or partially ready for GST audits and notices. 

• Understanding New Realities: 

• Businesses highlight a limited understanding of new-age business models (e.g., complex digital services, platform economies) within the current GST framework, leading to uncertainty. 

• Concerns exist about expansive pro-revenue interpretations by authorities that can stifle innovation. 

The Path Forward: Collaboration for Growth 

The Deloitte survey captures more than feedback; it reveals a robust endorsement of GST’s foundation and a shared vision for its future. Businesses aren’t just complaining – they’re ready to partner. 

• “Government is listening, and industry is ready to collaborate on shaping GST 2.0—a more streamlined, transparent and growth-friendly tax ecosystem.” – Deloitte Survey Insight. 

The Real Human Insight: 

GST’s first eight years represent a monumental shift from a fragmented system to a unified, digital framework. Businesses acknowledge this achievement. However, the current demand for “GST 2.0” reflects a maturing relationship with the tax system. Companies are no longer focused solely on survival (compliance); they are now demanding optimization. They seek a system that actively enables growth by removing procedural friction, providing genuine certainty, and adapting to the modern economy. The high satisfaction rate isn’t complacency; it’s a foundation of trust upon which businesses are asking the government to build a truly world-class, efficient tax regime. The ball is now in the policymakers’ court to translate this collaborative spirit into concrete, simplifying reforms.