The Hindu Business Line : OATS opens India centre; takes Infosys as partner

Mr Ashish Vikram, Managing Director, India, OATSystems, and Dr Sanjay Sarma (sitting), Chief Technology Officer, at a press conference in Bangalore on Tuesday. - - G. R. N. Somashekar

Bangalore , Nov. 16

RFID product development and services major OATSystems has announced the launch of its Indian facility and the partnership with Infosys Technologies to service its RFID (radio frequency identification) products. While the facility will work on both product development and software support and services for OAT's Foundation Suite, the company expects to create IP-oriented products here.

According to Dr Sanjay Sarma, the Chief Technology Officer, this move is a step to transition the country from being software services to product development.

While declining to quantify the investment and recruitment plans for the new facility, Dr Sarma said a portion of the $11.5-million VC funds received by OATS last year had been ploughed into the Indian facility.

"We will look at hiring top-notch engineers and probably scout the IITs for talent," said Dr Sarma.

Mr Ashish Vikram will head the Indian operations.

Interacting with the media here, Dr Sarma, who is widely considered as the father of RFID, said India could reap rich benefits from the opportunity in this emerging technology. According to estimates, the RFID market will be between $1.6 billionand $4.2 billion by 2007.

With large retailers such as WalMart and Tesco working towards RFID compliance in 2005, there will be a need for RFID tags. India can fulfil this requirement and also provide services for RFID deployment.

The alliance with Infosys will enable OATS to leverage Infosys' expertise to deploy the OAT Foundation Suite, according to Mr Jasjit Mangat, Head-Consulting, Asia, OATSystems.

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