Founded in the 1990s, Observer Research Foundation aims to: aid and impact policy formulation and evolve policy alternatives; create a climate conducive to effective policy implementation; strengthen India's democratic institutions to enable coherent, reasoned and consistent policy-making; provide reasoned and consensual inputs representing a broad section of opinion to improve governance, accelerate economic development and ensure a better quality of life for all Indians; monitor the strategic environment; work to achieve international peace, harmony and cooperation; and give direction to Indian foreign policy.