Plant pathogen interaction involves a series of structural, biochemical and molecular adaptations for the induction of defense machinery. Several natural compounds, ranging from cell wall components to metabolic enzymes have been reported to protect plants from infection by pathogens and hence provide specific resistance to hosts against pathogens termed as induced resistance. One such important phenolic compound is 2-hydroxy benzoic acid called salicylic acid (SA). SA exhibits its relevance in several physiological processes like seed germination, flowering, sex differentiation, stomatal movement and photoperiod. In addition, it plays a dynamic role in modulating the plant response to biotic and abiotic stress. Salicylic acid induces the expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins leading to systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Salicylic acid (SA)-mediated plant defense is considered as a key defense pathway used against biotrophic and hemi-biotrophic pathogens. Present review, therefore, discusses the fundamental of salicylic acid biosynthesis and its vitality in plant defense. This review also abridges the recent development in the role of SA in SAR, a trait that can be utilized in developing stress tolerance in plants.