Indian businesses and consumers may soon be able to check the authenticity of a product with the help of a mobile phone application.
The International Criminal Police Organisation, popularly known as Interpol, is in the advanced stages of developing I-Checkit, a product verification tool that is linked to a database of identifying information supplied by the manufacturer of the given product.
Earlier known as the Interpol Global Register, I-Checkit will also be able to help businesses crack down on counterfeit products, thereby reducing losses. Interpol is looking to rollout the application by the end of the year.
Phased rollout
“It will initially start, as usual, in certain pockets through a pilot and phased rollout. One requirement that Interpol keeps is that it has to comply with all domestic regulations, which is why we have had some discussions with the Indian industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). But India may not be in the first rollout,” Eric Danon, Diplomatic Advisor, Interpol, told The Hindu here on Wednesday.
While I-Checkit’s main purpose is to help clamp down on counterfeiting, authorised industry partners will also be able to use the tool to connect to Interpol’s various databases of stolen products to help stop trafficking.
“We want I-Checkit to be able to run on all platforms. One business instance is where it can work out is on the clamping of fake generic drugs. The Indian government, for instance, requires that all drugs that are exported be uniquely identified. This could help the generic drug makers boost profits by giving their export markets a means of verification,” said Ronald K. Noble, Secretary General, Interpol.
(The correspondent is in Istanbul at the invitation of Microsoft)
