Indian Astrobiology Research Centre (IARC) conducts and encourages research in Astrobiology. The research goals of IARC are aligned with those determined by NASA in the Astrobiology Roadmap.

Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution and distribution of life in the universe. It also refers to the search for any kind of life elsewhere, as well as the search for the elusive ET.

Astrobiology deals with three fundamental questions

• To understand the origin of life and its evolution.
• To probe for extraterrestrial life, especially intelligent life.
• To understand the future of life on Earth and extraterrestrial life.