New Delhi – The GST Council’s action in slashing rates across a broad category of items has positively struck a chord among businesses and consumers alike. The reform is being seen as a move which lowers the cost for households as well as enables firms to scale up their operations. By shifting many items to the 5% and 18% slabs, the government has streamlined the indirect tax regime while reducing the cost of a variety of products from packaged foods and medicines to IT equipment and renewable energy gear.
Industry observers note that the GST rationalization will likely underpin a higher consumption cycle. Reduced prices provide consumers with more purchasing power and lower input costs enable businesses to get more efficient and reach more areas. Ahead of headwinds generated by the installation of tariff barriers, this focus on domestic demand is expected to de-stress the Indian industries.
The FMCG industry expects the move to accelerate demand in smaller towns and rural areas. Mr. Aman Choudhary, Executive Director – Marketing, Anmol Industries Limited said the decision is a “great stimulus” for the sector. “The GST cut to 5% or Nil on healthy packaged foods such as paneer, butter, milk, dry fruits and even Indian breads will accelerate consumption in rural and Tier-II markets, enhance nutritional availability and encourage organized retail to increase its distribution reach.”
Education stakeholders see the GST reforms as a strategic support for institutions. Mr. Utkarsh Gupta, Managing Director of Ramagya Group said, “We acknowledge the GST changes as a strategic impetus to the education sector. It will allow institutions to invest further in improving infrastructure. The GST cut in sports goods—from 12% to 5%—will help bring down the cost of equipment, promoting greater student uptake of sports, fitness, and co-curricular activities. In the long term, these changes will enhance the overall learning ecosystem and equip students better for an interactive, rapidly changing world.”
Early learning providers highlight that systemic tax relief will indirectly strengthen foundational education. The recent GST reform, which exempts indispensable school stationery such as notebooks, pencils, erasers, crayons, sharpeners, maps and globes from tax and lowers GST on geometry and colour boxes from 12% to 5%, is a positive move for early childhood education. These reforms immediately reduce the burden on families, making it easier for more young learners to access early learning. Ms. Sneha Rathor Khandelwal, CEO, Sanfort Group of Schools said, “GST simplification is a long-term facilitator of early education. As businesses and families benefit from systemic tax relief, the education system can gain from revived emphasis and investment in base learning.”
The IT hardware segment is also expected to benefit directly from the GST rationalisation, particularly the reduction from 28% to 18% on a wide range of IT and consumer electronics. Mr. Manoj Gupta, Managing Director, Fortune Marketing Pvt. Ltd added: “The government’s decision to reduce GST is a welcome and progressive step that will energize the IT and electronics ecosystem in India. For the companies like Fortune Marketing, which work with thousands of channel partners this will ease financial pressure, improve cash flows and help deliver greater value to end consumers. At the same time, we look forward to similar government support on IT networking and CCTV products, as these have become essential needs in today’s digital and security-driven world.”
The renewable energy industry believes the revised rates will speed up India’s energy transition. Mr. Sanjay Garg, Director, Shweta Solar Pvt. Ltd said, “The reduction in GST on solar and related equipment will make clean energy options much cheaper for both households and enterprises, accelerating India’s switch to renewable energy.”
Reinforcing this, Mr. Vinod Sharma, Director, Joint Solar added that the measures will boost competitiveness. “Rationalising GST slabs for solar equipment—especially modules, inverters and batteries—will boost cost competitiveness, increase domestic installations and promote Make-in-India initiatives.”
Healthcare providers see the reforms as directly benefiting patients and hospitals alike. Dr. Richa Rai, CEO, Heritage Hospitals said, “Reducing GST on 33 life-saving medicines and diagnostic kits to 0% and exempting individual health insurance in totality is a milestone in public healthcare. These moves enhance access and affordability directly, especially for middle and lower-income groups. Now hospitals will be able to plough savings into infrastructure and innovation—making cutting-edge care more inclusive and effective.”
Power sector leaders highlight the cost savings for infrastructure rollouts. Mr. Rajinder Kaul, Chairman & Managing Director, Sharika Enterprises Limited explained: “The lowering of GST from 18% to 5% on electrical and grid hardware such as transformers, cables and substations generates pivotal cost savings for the power industry. Especially for the infrastructure players the reform streamlines procurement and boosts the pace of project rollouts.”
Real estate stake holders Mr. Vijay Jain, Managing Director of Star Estate said, “We are optimistic that the recent GST reduction will boost property purchases and the overall demand. With the festive season fast approaching the tax cut has come at an opportune time for the real estate sector and we expect the property market to witness a significant surge. Further supported by attractive discounts from the developers, the market is likely to drive even higher demand during this festive period.”
Skill development institutions believe affordable tools will fuel training. Dr. Shaikh Juned Saoud, Registrar & Off. President, Bhartiya Skill Development University (BSDU) said, “Reducing GST to 5% on digital tools and learning devices and 0% on rudimentary learning material sets the stage for cheaper, technology-enabled skilling. Institutions can now offer quality, industry-relevant courses in areas such as renewable energy, logistics and IT, creating a future-ready workforce.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Ms. Poonam Sharma, Chairperson at Accurate Institute of Management said, “The recent GST rate changes are a welcome move that will bring relief to higher education as well. For institutions like us, the exemption on R&D grants and reduced taxation on educational materials will allow for an even greater emphasis on academic excellence. These reforms mark the beginning of efforts to facilitate quality education and nurture future leadership.”
The GST reforms are being seen as a shift that touches almost every sector of the economy. By lowering costs and simplifying compliance the move is expected to strengthen domestic demand and provide the companies even greater room to expand. As businesses adapt to the new tax structure, the impact is likely to be felt gradually across the industries, reinforcing India’s path toward steady and more inclusive economic growth.
