Urbanization in India has significant implications for the development of the Country. By 2030, India’s population is likely to touch about 600 millions or nearly twice that of US. This will exert tremendous pressure on urban infrastructure and services. It is therefore imperative that we find innovative solutions for urban challenges of growth and sustainability. Green growth strategies can build environmentally sustainable cities.There is evidence that human activity has caused unprecedented change, and population will soon stress the world’s natural resources to the breaking point. Global warming, air pollution, land degradation, declining per-capita availability of fresh water, food shortages, and reduced biodiversity are some of the starkest challenges. Top priorities for smart cities include sustaining water, energy, and food supplies, managing waste (about 95% of cities still dump raw sewage into their waters), and reducing green house emissions. All these issues will be discussed in the paper in great details to address future smart cities being planned in India. We can take lessons learnt from advanced countries while planning our smart cities.