AbstractScience and technology (S&T) indicators have become central elements in S&T policy-making in advanced nations, but have only recently started to be applied to the specific needs of developing nations. Caution must be exercised, however, in the translation of advanced national experience into the context of the third world.New sorts of indicators are needed that link economic and social goals with the relatively small contribution that national science can make. These are called ‘targeting’ indicators, because scarce national scientific resources must be strategically targeted to have any substantial impact at all.Three basic cautions, concerning copying, compromise and non-substantial relevance, are summarised that particularly need to be taken into account when building up an S&T indicator capability appropriate to developing nations.