Deloitte GST@9 survey: 99% industry acceptance, but refund delays hit 77% of businesses

Deloitte's GST@9 survey of 1,096 industry leaders finds near-universal acceptance of GST with 99% positive/neutral sentiment. However, 77% flag refund delays, 57% cite ITC disputes, and MSMEs continue to face working capital strain. 89% rank AI as a compliance priority; 67% of MSMEs back quarterly filing.

— Source publishedTue, 23 Jun, 2026, 20:24 IST·First seen Tue, 23 Jun, 2026, 20:36 IST·Source BL · Consumer & Economy

What happened

GST Council · Deloitte GST@9 survey of 1,096 industry leaders shows near-universal acceptance of GST with 99% positive/neutral sentiment, but flags refund

Key facts

  • 99%
  • 1,096 responses
  • 69%
  • 77% refund delays
  • 67% MSME quarterly filing
  • 89% AI priority

Why this matters

With 89% prioritizing AI for compliance, there's a clear opening to evaluate tax-tech tuck-ins or partnerships that automate ITC reconciliation and refund tracking ahead of competitors.