India’s agricultural research and extension system has grown tremendously to meet the country’s rapid change in research and development (R&D) needs over the past half century. Major activities in this field since the 1960s involved the dissemination of technologies. Institutes belonging to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) conduct about 43% of the agricultural research done in India; state agricultural universities about 33%; the private sector (private companies and private nonprofit foundations) 16%; and international centers about 8%. This paper attempts to understand the current status of agricultural research and extension system, identify the gaps, and suggest improvements with specific focus on food security, poverty reduction, sustainable use of natural resources, and agricultural production in the context of globalization.