NASVI is an organization working for the protection of the livelihood rights of thousands of street vendors across the country. Beginning as a Network in 1998, NASVI was registered in 2003 under the Societies registration Act of 1860.

The main objective behind establishing NASVI was to bring together the street vendor organizations in India so as to collectively struggle for macro-level changes which had become imminent to support the livelihood of around 10 million vendors which stand severely threatened due to outdated laws and changing policies, practices and attitudes of the powers that be.

NASVI is a national federation of street vendor organizations. It is a coalition of Trade Unions, Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Non Government Organizations (NGOs) and professionals.

NASVI was registered in November, 2003 under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.The reasons for registering NASVI under the Society Act was mainly –