Call it GST 2.0, the software update you cannot snooze. It promises cleaner code for taxes, fewer glitches at checkout, and smarter credits across supply chains. The auto sector is checking torque. The tech sector is checking logs. Between factory gates and app stores, every invoice now tells a new story and here is what the tech and auto industry is saying about the GST revamp. Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group “We welcome the Government’s landmark NextGen GST reforms, which reflect Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji’s vision of ease of living and ease of doing business. By lowering input costs for farmers, simplifying compliance for MSMEs, and enabling small sellers, artisans/weavers and smallholder farmers to seamlessly join e-commerce across states, these reforms will further strengthen India’s growth engine. Timely implementation of these reforms ahead of the upcoming festival season will surely give a huge boost to consumption across categories, widen market access, and accelerate our collective journey towards a Viksit Bharat.” Read Also: Fastrack MYND smartwatch with AI features launched in India Manish Sharma, Chairman, Panasonic Life Solutions India “The rationalisation of GST on air-conditioners and televisions from 28% to 18% is a welcome reform that will directly benefit consumers, especially as we step into the festive season. With this reduction, products that were earlier seen as aspirational are now more accessible, allowing a larger section of households to upgrade to energy-efficient and connected appliances. This move, coupled with the recent revision in the income tax slab exempting annual earners up to ₹12 lakhs, is expected to significantly boost disposable incomes and consumer sentiment. Together, these reforms create a strong momentum for the consumer durables sector, driving higher demand across urban and emerging markets. At Panasonic, we believe this will accelerate penetration of modern appliances, improve quality of life for consumers, and in turn, contribute to India’s broader economic growth momentum.” Rajeev Singh, Managing Director, BenQ India “The recent GST reform is a decisive move toward simplifying and streamlining the tax structure for the electronics industry. By consolidating the tax slabs into a clear and predictable two-tier system, it reduces compliance complexities and fosters a more transparent business environment. This reform is set to benefit manufacturers, retailers, and consumers by lowering costs across the supply chain, encouraging competitive pricing, and stimulating demand for a wide range of electronic goods. Moreover, it supports the government’s vision to enhance local manufacturing and innovation, providing a strong foundation for sustainable growth in the sector. Notably, the reduction of GST rates on products such as monitors and projectors further eases costs for businesses and educational institutions, promoting wider adoption of digital technology solutions across India.” Ravi Agarwal, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Cellecor “We welcome the recent GST reforms as a decisive step towards creating a more level playing field and fostering growth within the consumer electronics and appliances industry. The rationalisation of GST rates to a uniform 18% on products such as TVs, monitors, air conditioners, and dishwashers is a particularly positive move. It not only enhances affordability for Indian households but also simplifies compliance and operational efficiency for manufacturers and brands like Cellecor. Equally significant is the alignment of GST on lithium-ion batteries at 18%. This will have a direct impact on the ecosystem of wireless, portable, and smart devices by reducing input costs across the value chain. For a fast-growing Indian brand like Cellecor, this encourages us to accelerate innovation in smart gadgets and energy-efficient products while keeping them accessible to a wider base of consumers. Overall, these reforms are a timely enabler for greater consumer confidence and demand creation. They strengthen the foundation for digital adoption across urban and rural markets alike, supporting our long-term vision of bringing quality, affordable technology to every Indian family.” Read Also: Jio launches Rs 349 Celebration Plan With Unlimited 5G As It hits 500 Million Users, And Other Freebies Aditya Khemka, Managing Director, CP PLUS “The recent GST revisions are a progressive step for India’s technology ecosystem. Rationalising taxes on consumer electronics, critical components like silicon wafers, and logistics will help reduce the cost of hardware that powers modern surveillance infrastructure, making advanced security solutions more accessible to businesses, housing societies, and urban centres. While adjustments may be needed on account of higher GST on outsourced job work, the overall direction supports affordability, faster adoption, and strengthens the government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat by boosting local manufacturing and value creation. For the surveillance industry, this creates an important opportunity to accelerate organised deployment and deliver safer, smarter communities across the country.” Pankaj Rana, Chief Executive Officer, Hisense India “The government’s recent GST reforms on televisions and air conditioners come at a critical juncture. By reducing price barriers, these reforms enable a larger and more diverse consumer base, especially in emerging markets and Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, to access high-quality, energy-efficient products. At Hisense India, our focus has always been to deliver global innovation at prices that resonate with Indian households, and this move makes our advanced range of TVs and home appliances even more accessible ahead of the festive season, when families are looking to upgrade their homes. Ultimately, this reform not only improves affordability but also elevates the quality of life for millions of Indian households.” Ravi Kunwar, VP and CEO, HMD India & APAC “The latest GST reforms mark a constructive development for diverse industries across India, with the Council’s move to consolidate rates and streamline registration and refund processes driving substantial change in business operations nationwide. By simplifying the tax structure into clear 5% and 18% slabs, these reforms are set to promote consumer savings and create more disposable income, delivering timely relief and positive sentiment ahead of the festive season. These measures reflect India’s continued pursuit of regulatory ease, and their true value will be seen in how effectively benefits extend to both consumers and industry progress—particularly in manufacturing and technology. For HMD and the broader telecom sector, we expect improved operational efficiency, greater cost predictability, and sustainable growth, reinforcing our commitment to supporting India’s digital transformation and the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047. Going forward, clarity in implementation will be key to enabling all stakeholders to fully leverage these reforms.” Varun Gupta, CoFounder GOBOULT The GST reform is not just a tax update, it is a milestone in India’s economic journey since 2017. For everyday Indians, it brings immediate relief with lower rates on essentials like food, medicines, insurance and household goods. That is a meaningful step because a tax system should first serve the people it represents. For the audio and wearables category, GST on final products remains at 18 per cent, so prices stay stable. The bigger shift lies in how the system now works. Moving to a simpler two-rate structure of 5 and 18 per cent means fewer complications, less compliance stress for MSMEs, and greater predictability across the value chain. In the long run, this kind of stability allows companies like ours to reinvest efficiencies into technology, design and innovation. It is a reform that touches both the consumer at home and the manufacturer in the factory, and it sets the stage for India to emerge as a global hub, shaping not just domestic growth but also our role in the world economy. Shenu Agarwal, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland “The GST rate reductions announced by the Hon’ble Finance Minister represent a forward-looking step towards simplifying India’s tax structure and accelerating economic momentum. The shift to a streamlined two-tier system of 5% and 18% will not only ease compliance but also bolster key sectors, uplift consumer sentiment, and reduce the financial burden on the common man. Crucially, this move will help mitigate the impact of the recently imposed US tariffs. The specific relief for the commercial vehicle industry is especially welcome. On one hand, it will spur freight traffic, and on the other, it will bring down the cost of buses and trucks, unleashing demand trajectory for commercial vehicles.”

Nitin Rao, CEO, InCred Wealth

“The GST cuts are here and have been announced quickly/ efficiently with an element of urgency,  to boost demand before the festive season. Focus has been to give support to tariff-impacted labour-intensive industries, to make goods cheaper (visible benefits of individual scale will be seen by the middle class in mid-level value purchases ) and will improve sentiments post the tariff issues / general slowdown. History has shown that such measures add significantly to GDP growth, and a repeat is expected. Positive, this will play out, though a small concern remains wherein recent measures like the rate cuts + budgetary measures taken on reduced taxes have not created necessary consumption boosters. We will have to wait and see if this welcome third step reverses the consumption trend, or if there is a deeper problem around the availability of money with consumers. For now, the market sentiments will be positive.”

SWAPNESH R MARU, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor “We thank and congratulate the Government for the landmark second-generation GST reform, a significant step towards accelerating India’s journey to a stronger and more resilient economy. Beyond empowering the common man, this reform is poised to enhance market confidence, strengthen consumer sentiment and stimulate investments — collectively broadening prosperity across the nation. The relief extended to smaller vehicles, along with the rationalisation of levies on larger ones, will enhance mobility for the common man by making it more accessible and affordable, while at the same time stimulating growth across the automotive sector. As a next step, it is essential to reduce fossil fuel imports and achieve our stated national objectives of energy self-reliance, promotion of bio-fuels and decarbonisation. Given India’s rapid economic growth that is bound to increase the demand for energy, particularly fossil fuel consumption by the transportation sector, it is crucial that all cleaner and greener technologies are also promoted and incentivised through suitable policy measures, including taxation so that these are preferred by consumers over the conventional petrol and diesel vehicles.”