The concept of a smart city is relatively new strategy to alleviate the problems generated by the rapid urbanization. The Integration of Information and Communication Technologies into administration, availability of data, proliferation of mobile devices and real-time information systems provide new opportunities to offer better services and to make cities of the future more competent, resilient and sustainable. Yet little academic research has discussed the phenomenon. This paper proposes a framework to understand the concept of smart cities in response to the increasing use of the concept in India. Based on the principles of Service Oriented Architecture we identify some critical factors of smart city initiatives: Smart governance, Smart economy, Smart mobility, Smart environment, Smart people and Smart living. These factors along with Service Oriented Architecture form the basis of an integrative framework that can be used to examine smart city initiatives. The framework suggests directions and agendas for smart city research and outlines practical implications.