We studied the structural and luminescence properties of nanocrystalline RE3Ga5O12 (RE = Gd, Y and Lu) garnets co-doped with 1 mol% of Nd3+ and 10 mol% of Yb3+ ions. The Nd3+ sensitized Yb3+ emission at 1025 nm is observed due to efficient Nd3+ to Yb3+ energy transfer.