The National Mathematics Initiative (NMI) was set up by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Government of India at the Indian Institute of Science. The primary goal of this initiative is to foster interdisciplinary collaborations between different research areas with mathematics as the common theme. Such collaborations would help scientists and engineers solve research problems requiring inputs from mathematicians. Simultaneously it would help mathematicians to extend their expertise to applied areas and enable them to contribute significantly to interdisciplinary projects.

To achieve these goals, a focus area of current interest to both mathematicians and scientists/engineers is identified every year. During this period, instructional workshops, conferences, compact courses and seminars are organized throughout India to catalyze interdisciplinary collaborations. Experts in the focus area (both from India and abroad) are invited to act as resource persons in these activities. Scientists and engineers from national laboratories and industry are encouraged to take active part. It is hoped that such activities would also help kick start research in cutting edge areas of science and technology where mathematics plays an important role.

NMI is a natural outgrowth of the IISc Mathematics Initiative (IMI) which was started in 2003 to promote collaborations between mathematicians, engineers and scientists at IISc. It involves more than 35 faculty members cutting across disciplines. IMI started organizing thematic programmes focused on various interdisciplinary topics (see Past Thematic Programmes). Recognizing the impact and utility of such programmes, the Science and Engineering Research Board, Government of India set up NMI at IISc (coordinated by IMI) so as to promote similar activities all across India. In addition to coordinating NMI, IMI continues its activities as an in-house programme that coordinates IISc's PhD Programme in Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences.