National Association  of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) was initiated by SEWA in  September 1998 to  bring together the street vendor organisations of India so as to collectively struggle for macro-level changes which had become imminent to support the livelihood of around 10 million vendors which stood severely threatened due to outdated  laws and  changing policies, practices and  attitudes of the powers that be. Last one and half decade had seen considerable increase in the momentum and intensity of attack on the livelihood of urban poor particularly street vendors. Reasons and the manifestation of the attack are many. 

NASVI is a coalition of trade unions and voluntary organisations working for street vendors spread all over India. NASVI, based in Patna, started off as a networking organisation of street vendors. Nidan,a leading Non Governmental Organisation of Bihar was given the responsibility to co-ordinate NASVI. However ,as NASVI grew in terms of recognition, membership, activities and created  a niche for itself, the need for a separate legal identity of NASVI was felt. A constitution was prepared through  a consultative process and NASVI was registered in November 2003. 276 oranisations representing 1,68,278 street vendors from 20 states of India have taken the formal membership contributing membership fee.