The announcement was made recently at the Cisco campus in Bengaluru, after a meeting between BS Yeddyurappa, the chief minister of Karnataka; John Chambers, Cisco chairman and CEO; and Wim Elfrink, Chief Globalisation Officer and EVP, Cisco Services. As part of the MoU, Cisco will work with the Karnataka government to share relevant experiences and best practices from its work in other parts of the world, including conducting workshops, requirement studies and architectural designs for the pilot project.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr BS Yeddyurappa said, "Public safety and security, health care, and energy being our primary focus, we are looking to work closely with Cisco, in developing a world-class urban infrastructure for the citizens of Karnataka. We are delighted to collaborate with a world technology leader like Cisco in this important initiative."

Elfrink said: "The vision of the Karnataka government for Bengaluru is exemplary. Cities which run on information will transform the quality of life for citizens, drive economic growth, and improve city services and management. Particularly in these difficult economic times, cities that use the network to accelerate and multiply their infrastructure investments will be those which not only survive challenges but thrive and lead into the future. The signing of this MoU and the presence of our Globalisation Centre East in this city gives us the opportunity to work closely with the authorities and apply our knowledge and experience to play a role in Bengaluru city's transformation."

The MoU was signed at the Cisco campus by Naresh Wadhwa, president and country manager, Cisco India and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), and Ashok Kumar Manoli, principal secretary, information technology and biotechnology, the government of Karnataka.