microRNA (miRNA) are small endogenous RNA molecule present in eukaryotes and range between 21–24 nucleotide in length. These highly conserved RNAs are transcribed from non-protein coding miRNA genes (MIR) by RNA pol-II and involved in regulation of gene expression through translational repression, chromatin remodeling and epigenetic modification. Plant contains both the conserve miRNAs that regulate the common traits in plant as well as a high number of species-specific miRNAs regulating unique and variable processes in individual plant species. miRNAs are involved in numbers of important biological functions and their expression pattern varies according to the development stage and the environmental challenge. miRNAs are becoming potential candidates for crop improvement programmes. Their involvement in numerous processes of biological and metabolic significance opens up great opportunities to unravel the mechanisms underlying complex agronomic traits. Many miRNA targets transcriptional factors (TFs) and these TF are excellent candidates for modifying complex agronomic traits.miRNAs also represent a resourceful gene reservoir and is a source of novel miRNA based molecular marker system. miRNA function in plants includesPlant development, Signal transduction, Plant disease and insect resistance, Environmental stress responses, and miRNA and siRNA biogenesis and function. Genetic engineering techniques employed for manipulation of miRNA involves-Constitutive overexpression of miRNAs or down-regulation of miRNA targets, Overexpression of miRNA-resistant targets and artificial target mimics, Artificial miRNAs (amiRNAs) and Stress-inducible and tissue-specific promoters. Though undesirable pleiotropic changes, species to species variation in miRNA strategy, mutation in target mRNA etc limits its application, there is a vast scope to explore this novel technique for crop improvement leading to food security.