Karnataka taps Japan for Bengaluru smart city development

Karnataka plans to explore collaboration with Japan on smart city initiatives in Bengaluru.

The proposed model will enable Japanese companies to partner with cities globally to design and implement solutions for urban challenges, backed by government support, according to a statement from the state’s IT/BT department.

The collaboration is being pursued through Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.


“Karnataka is committed to building future-ready, resilient and citizen-centric cities. With strong institutional support and a vibrant startup ecosystem, we aim to translate this partnership into high-impact outcomes across water, waste and energy management,” IT/BT minister Priyank Kharge said in the statement.

A similar engagement is already underway with the Thane Municipal Corporation, and MLIT has expressed interest in extending the model to Karnataka, with a focus on Bengaluru, the statement added.

The proposed collaboration would follow a three-stage approach: signing an agreement with the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), identifying priority urban challenges and implementing solutions through participation from Japanese private sector players.

The statement further said that the key focus areas for collaboration include energy, wastewater, mobility and disaster management.

The minister said that discussions will be initiated with the GBA to consider its role as the nodal agency for the initiative. The state will also explore innovation-led approaches, including challenge grants and startup-driven solutions, to address identified urban priorities, the statement added.