Imphal is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. It is the fourth largest city in northeast India after Aizawl. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace, the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a moat. Spread over parts of the districts of Imphal West and Imphal East, the former contains the majority of the city's area and population. Imphal is part of the Smart Cities Mission under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Being a mega commercial hub, Imphal is known for its weaving, brass-ware, bronze-ware, and other cottage industries. Meitei language is the most widely spoken language in the city.

National Smart Cities Mission is an urban renewal and retrofitting program by the Government of India with the mission to develop smart cities across the country, making them citizen friendly and sustainable. The Union Ministry of Urban Development is responsible for implementing the mission in collaboration with the state governments of the respective cities. The mission was planned to include 100 cities, with the deadline for completion of the projects set between 2019 and 2023. As of September 2023, 6188 out of total 7960 tendered projects have been completed, utilizing ₹113,721 crores out of total tendered amount of ₹171,432 crore.