The Indian Council of World Affairs was established in 1943 by a group of Indian intellectuals as a think tank. It was registered as a non-official, non-political and non-profit organisation under the Registration of Societies Act 1860 and is devoted exclusively for the study of international relations and foreign affairs. Since then it has continued to effectively serve the purpose for which it was established. Historic international conferences like 'Asian Relations Conference' in 1947 under the leadership of freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu and 'United Nations and the New World Order' in 1994 have been held by this think tank in which world renowned dignitaries addressed huge gatherings of intellectuals. Scores of conferences, meetings and panel discussions have been organised by the Council in its elegant building called "Sapru House".

                             The first Prime Minister of independent India, late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the architect of India's foreign policy, was a regular visitor to Sapru House to confer with noted scholars, intellectuals and academics.