It is emphasized that in order to participate in the scientific revolution of the 20th century, scientific organizations of developing countries must carefully select the problems which require urgent solution through indigenous research. The author has attempted to define such problems, weighs the importance of applied versus basic research and urges scientists of the CENTO region to devote their skills and talents to the solution of their region's problems and to the improvement of conditions in the area. (This paper was presented in the CENTO Symposium on Scientific and Industrial Research, held at Lahore on Nov. 16-21, 1964).