Section 194I is applicable on lease of equipments and machinery. If you take a crane, forklift or any vehicle on lease (includes car) from private financer and the mode of finance is Lease, the car or equipment or machine is in name of leasing company and you are in possession of it and pay in a lease rent. depreciation is going to the OWNER. The risk is in hands of possessor till ownership is transferred to him. This does not come under section 194A or 194C.This is 194I. TDS is 2% and the lease rental limit per annumis fixed for this (incl. the interest component of installment) on condition of which TDS is done. For 194 C, the owner is supplying the equipment that remains in his possession and risk and he is running it for you. 194A is for Hypothecation Finance of the vehicle where part of EMI is principal and part of it is interest. However, Banks will only give on Hypothecation basis as they are exempt from TDS u/s 194A. Important in this is the ownership is in our name and we get the depreciation. In the other case the depreciation never comes to the user. Only the owner. If you take from NBFC on Hypothecation basis you have to deduct TDS u/s 194A unless they give a cert. u/s 197. Therefore they give under Lease Finance. When the rates were high for this many of them had certificate u/s 197 to get lower rate deducted. Now the rate is 2%.
Sivaram, the lease agreement for plying cars is 194C. Here the rate is 2% if aggregate exceeds 50,000.