Leasing in India

The purpose of this Chapter is to provide structured facts about Indian leasing. It is focussed on information as well as analysis. If Indian leasing holds any interest for you, you will find these pages extremely interesting and helpful.

Beginners to leasing should first read the Online Primer on leasing.  Those interested to read an analytical document on the current state of Indian leasing should go to the page dedicated to 25 years of Indian leasing . Click here for latest News on Indian leasing.

Contents:

Evolution and status of leasing in India:

• History of leasing in India : Brief history of the evolution of leasing industry in India with ups and downs over time.
• History of hire-purchase in India : Brief history of hire-purchase starting from inception and how hire-purchase got focussed on particular products.
• Leasing and Hire-purchase: a vanishing distinction : Historical reasons for hire-purchase to be associated with vehicles, and how those reasons have become irrelevant over time. Now the distinction is purely based on tax consequences.

Indian leasing industry : This page gives the current status of Indian leasing industry with links to some data about Indian leasing volumes and growth.

• Lessors: Section describes the major constituents of lessor market in India - NBFCs, banks, financial institutions, captive companies, etc.
• Lessees: Section describes the major segments on lessee side - corporates, public sector enterprises, car consumers, home durables consumers, etc.

Legal aspects of Indian leasing: A very comprehensive document on the legalities of Indian leasing. A must read for everyone.

• Sources of the law
• Leasing and hire-purchase
• Requirements of a valid lease or hire-purchase
• Goods and redeliverability features
• Supreme ownership rights of the lessor
• Obligations relating to the goods
• Obligations on misuse of the goods
• Repossession of the goods
• Motor vehicles law on lease and hire-purchase
• Lease and Hire-purchase documentation

RBI regulations on NBFCs

• Deposit-taking by banking companies
• Non-banking non-financial companies
• Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs)
• Unregistered NBFCs
• Registered NBFCs with net worth less than Rs. 25 lacs
• Unrated or below-minimum rated companies
• Rated leasing and HP companies
• Table showing deposit-taking by various companies, firms and unincorporated bodies

 Income-tax aspects of Indian leasing

•  Basic tax treatment of lease and hire-purchase transactions
• What distinguishes between lease and hire-purchase
• Allowability of depreciation on lease transactions
• Depreciation rates
• Sale and leaseback transactions
• Taxation of income in case of hire-purchase transactions
• Lessee's claim for lease rentals
• Hirer's claim for depreciation
• Deduction of tax at source
• Leases by cross-border lessors. 

Accounting for leases in India

• Why specific accounting method for finance leases
•  Indian and International accounting standards compared
• Finance leases in India
• Splitting of rentals
• Examples on splitting of rentals
• Lease equalisation account
• Lessee disclosures
• Accounting for hire-purchase
• Accounting for operating leases
• Full text of the Guidance Note on Lease Accounting
• Accounting for non-performing assets
• Other useful lease accounting links

 

Sales-tax on Indian leasing -a primer

Stamp duty on leasing in India - coming soon

Latest news on Indian leasing

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