Overview

As the festive spirit builds across the nation, a landmark policy change — the Next Gen GST reforms — is set to energize India. To understand what this transformative moment means for sellers, consumers, and the entire retail ecosystem, especially ahead of The Big Billion Days, we sat down with Rajneesh Kumar, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Flipkart Group. Read below:

Q1: The government recently announced the early implementation of the Next Gen GST reforms from September 22, 2025. Why is this considered such a significant development?

This is a landmark move by the Government of India and the GST Council.

We welcome the Government of India’s landmark NextGen GST reforms, which reflect its vision of ease of living and ease of doing business. By lowering input costs for farmers, simplifying compliance for MSMEs, and enabling small sellers to seamlessly participate in e-commerce across states, these reforms will further strengthen India’s growth engine.

The reforms will have a transformative impact on India’s entire retail ecosystem, both offline and online. From farmers to small sellers, manufacturers, and consumers, this is a significant milestone in India’s economic journey.

Broadly, the GST reform will:

• Boost consumption across categories,
• Empower MSMEs, farmers, and local manufacturers,
• Enhance ease of doing business
• Create opportunities for exporters to serve the domestic market amidst global uncertainties.

Q2: The announcement highlights a simplified registration scheme for MSMEs selling through e-commerce. Could you elaborate on its importance?

The new, simplified GST registration scheme for small sellers and MSMEs selling through e-commerce across states is pivotal. Previously, any business wanting to sell online to a customer in another state had to get a GST registration, regardless of their annual turnover.

This created a hurdle for micro-entrepreneurs, artisans, and weavers in accessing the national market through e-commerce.

By easing compliance and removing barriers, this reform will empower thousands of small sellers to participate in India’s digital economy. It truly democratizes access to markets for those who are the backbone of our economy. This creates both efficiency and inclusivity.

At Flipkart, we have sensitized our seller partners and, through our simplified seller dashboard, are making it easier for them to adopt these changes. We remain fully committed to working with sellers to ensure that the benefits of GST reductions are effectively passed on to customers.

Q3: These reforms are set to be implemented just before the festive season and Flipkart’s The Big Billion Days. How will this timing benefit the ecosystem?

The timely implementation of these reforms, especially ahead of the festive season, will widen market access, drive consumption, and accelerate our collective journey towards a Viksit Bharat. It will further energize consumer demand and enable inclusive growth for businesses and consumers alike. It’s a huge boost that will ensure the festive spirit translates into economic momentum.

Q4: How do you expect this to translate into festive commerce, and what is Flipkart doing to prepare for the demand?

In all, the reforms are expected to boost consumer confidence and seamless seller participation. At Flipkart, we have prepared to meet demand in various ways – from an enhanced workforce to scaled-up infrastructure and tech deployments across all states. Ahead of the festive season, we have created over 2.2 lakh+ job opportunities across warehousing, delivery, team leads, and customer experience verticals. Our logistics network, which covers all serviceable PIN codes, will see the expansion of 650 new festive-only delivery hubs in cities such as Siliguri, Kundli, Jakhar, including Tier 2 and 3 cities. Spanning 35 lakh sq. ft., the entire expanded network of the Flipkart centers is designed to power festive e-commerce growth across 21,000+ PIN codes and along all verticals, including large (which includes Air Conditioners, Televisions, and more) to non-large, grocery, and more.

Additionally, we’re also ensuring faster deliveries with over 400 micro fulfilment centers across 19 cities.