The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), an autonomous body, was constituted in 1942 by a resolution of the Central Legislative Assembly. Dr. Raghunath Anant Mashelkar is the present Director General of CSIR. The functions assigned to CSIR were :

• Promotion, guidance and coordination of Scientific and Industrial research in India.
• Establishment or development of institutions and assistance to departments of existing institutions for specific study of problems affecting particular industries and trades.
• Establishment and award of research studentships and fellowships.
• Utilization of the results of the researches conducted under the auspices of the council for the development of industries in the country.
• Establishment, maintenance and management of laboratories, workshops, institutes and Organizations to further scientific and industrial research.
• Collection and dissemination of information in regard not only to research but also to general industrial matters.
• Publication of scientific papers and journals.

CSIR has been continually striving to achieve these objectives leading to generation of new knowledge and new products, processes and technologies in diverse areas ranging from chemicals and drugs to materials and electronics ; from safe drinking water and food technology to aerospace ; and from environment protection and toxicology to petroleum processing. In the process, CSIR has grown to span a very wide S & T base. It has also emerged as a truly national organization with its 40 laboratories spread over the length and breadth of the country- from Kashmir to Kerala and Rajasthan to Assam. The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa is one such laboratory aiming at sustainable use of ocean resources. With more than 25000 persons working in its various laboratories and institutions, CSIR has always strived for the development of indigenous technologies and optimum utilisation of indigenous resources. Interaction with industrial establishments is therefore of vital imporatnce..

The focus of CSIR efforts has always been the development of indigenous technologies and optimum utilization of indigenous resources. In these efforts, interaction with users of CSIR technologies, i.e., industrial establishments is of vital importance. The first step in this interaction is making available to users adequate information about the infrastructure and R & D capabilities available in different CSIR laboratories. CSIR laboratories today play a major role in enhancing the country's industrial growth and the quality of life of its people. The encouraging performance emboldened CSIR to attempt charting out an agenda for the future. Release of a White Paper "CSIR 2001 : Vision & Strategy" was a first step in this direction.