Whose Smart Cities? Management Consultants, Governance, and Inclusion in India's Smart Cities Mission

This research looks at the role of management consultants in India's Smart Cities Mission. The Mission was launched in 2015 with the aim of transforming 100 Indian cities into smart cities, primarily with the use of data and digital technologies. The research focuses on two case studies, the cities of Pune and Surat. Using discourse analysis and through in-depth interviews with various stakeholders in the two cities and at the national-level, the research seeks to understand the various roles management consultants play in the Mission, the influence they wield, and how this impacts inclusion in Indian cities, especially women’s inclusion.