India, Sept. 22 -- Diwali came in early for consumers in India as government's Goods and Services Tax reforms (GST reforms or GST rate cuts) came into effect from Monday, September 22 - coinciding with first day of the Navratri festival. Under the GST reforms, the previous four-tiered tax rate structure has been revised into what government says is a citizen-friendly 'simple tax' - two-rate structure of 18 per cent and five per cent.

Called the "next-generation GST reforms", these revisions were announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ramparts of Red Fort on Independence Day, August 15. Follow GST news live updates

The government of India says the GST reforms represent a strategic, principled, and citizen-centric evolution of...