In January 2026, the generation of E-Way Bills reached over 13.68 crore, marking its second-highest level to date, according to data from the GST Network portal. This surge reflects strong economic activity and improved compliance within the system. However, experts have expressed a measured response to this development.
The previous record was 13.84 crore, indicating a slight decline of just over 1 per cent in January. However, this figure represents an increase of approximately 16 per cent compared to January 2025 and over 42 per cent compared to January 2024. An e-way bill is an electronic document generated on a portal that serves as evidence for the movement of goods and indicates whether taxes have been paid for those goods.
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Under Rule 138 of the CGST Rules, 2017, it is crucial for the registered person engaging in the movement of goods (which may not necessarily be on account of supply) of a consignment value exceeding ₹50,000 (can be lower for intra-state movement) to generate an e-way bill.
A high e-way bill generation shows robust economic activity in the country and compliance among taxpayers. Also, it noted that the ₹50,000 per consignment threshold is too low, given that the limit was set years ago.
It should be noted that Rs 50,000 is inclusive of GST; thus, if GST is 18%, the taxable value is just Rs 43,000. It may be time for the upcoming 57th GST Council meeting to increase the threshold from its current level to at least ₹1 lakh, which is the threshold in some states for intrastate movements.
Centre is working with states on revising the e-way bill structure, and the same may be discussed in the next meeting of the GST council. From the Economic Survey for FY26, it is cited that the next wave of GST reforms can concentrate on reimagining the e-way bill system as a streamliner of seamless logistics rather than just as a tool for legislation and regulation.
Major Deregulation
Reforms in e-way bill shall be directed to a significant deregulation of the logistics ecosystem, reducing costs and delays for trade while upholding effective, non-intrusive oversight for tax administration. The survey proposed broader implementation of e-seals and electronic locking systems, integrated with e-way bills and vehicle-tracking technologies, to ensure secure, seamless tracking of consignments without routine road stoppages.
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Also, the survey recommends a policy design and a surge in dependence on trust-based and technology-driven compliance models, like a “trusted dealer” structure, under which taxpayers with a robust compliance record encounter fewer physical checks and relish greater certainty in the movement of goods. Physical checks were removed on the rollout of GST on July 1, 2017, marking a structural reform, enhancing the free movement of goods, and lowering transit delays.
