Mumbai: Patni Computer Systems, India''s sixth largest IT services company, has joined EAN India, a non-profit standards-based organisation to gain access to services of EPCglobal Inc. EPCglobal, a joint venture between EAN International and Uniform Code Council Inc., develops and promotes commercial and technical standards for the electronic product code (EPC) network.

With this membership of EPCglobal through EAN India, Patni has become the first company in India to join the global RFID consortium. As a member of EPCglobal, Patni will support the adoption of the EPC network in India and help in the creation of industry standards for RFID technology worldwide.

Ravi Mathur, chief executive officer of EAN India, said, "Patni''s participation, the first commitment from India, is a strong indication of the EPC technology''s importance to businesses and consumers alike. Patni''s participation in EPCglobal indicates its support in developing this technology to ultimately help companies in multiple industries throughout India to view their supply chains in real time, saving time, money and speed to market."

Speaking about the association, Satish Joshi, senior vice-president, Patni, said, "At Patni, we are excited about the potential that exists in the RFID technology and have built a strong RFID practice to tap this market. Being part of a global industry body like EPCglobal will help us develop IP''s that are compatible with global standards and reinforce our leadership position in the RFID space."