The present Development Strategy Institute (DSI) was established on the foundation of the two departments of the former State Planning Committee (now the Ministry of Planning and Investment or MPI in short), namely the Department for Long-term National Overall Economic Planning (a), and the Department for Economic Zoning and Planning (b). The formation and development process of the Development Strategy Institute from those two departments can be summarised as follows:

1964

(a) Establishment of the Department for Long-term National Overall Economic Planning

(b) Establishment of the Department for Economic Zoning and Planning

1974: (b) Establishment of the Institute for Zoning and Planning.

1983: (a) Establishment of the Institute for Long-term Planning. Given its functions and responsibilities, the positions of president and vice-presidents of the institute were equivalent to those of general department heads and deputy heads, respectively; and directors of the institute's technical departments and administrative office were at the same level of department directors general of a ministry.

1986: (b) The Institute for Zoning and Planning was renamed to the Institute for Regional Planning.

1988: The Institute for Long-term Planning and the Institute for Regional Planning were dissolved. The Institute for Long-term and Regional Planning subordinating to the State Planning Committee was established.

1994: The Institute for Long-term and Regional Planning was renamed to the Development Strategy Institute as it is today (which is at the same level of a first-rank general department).

2003: The Prime Minister of the Government signed Decision 232/2003/QD-TTg dated November 23^rd, 2003 on the status of the Development Strategy Institute as a national-level institute.

2009: The Prime Minister of the Government signed Decision No 110/2009/QĐ-TTg dated August 26^th, 2009 on the status of the Development Strategy Institute as a national-level scientific public service delivery agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.