PAN (Permanent Account Number) is an identification number assigned to all taxpayers in India. PAN is an electronic system through which, all tax related information for a person/company is recorded against a single PAN number. This acts as the primary key for storage of information and is shared across the country. Hence no two tax paying entities can have the same PAN.
PAN Card is issued to individuals, companies, non-resident Indians or anyone who pays taxes in India.