The India AI Impact Summit 2026, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, became the center of a major controversy involving Galgotias University. The institution faced immense backlash and was reportedly asked by government authorities to immediately vacate its exhibition stall. The uproar began when a viral video surfaced showing university representatives showcasing a robotic dog they claimed to have made, which they had named Orion.
During media interactions at the event, a faculty member, identified as Professor Neha Singh from the School of Management, presented the robot to the public. She introduced the machine as Orion and explicitly mentioned it was developed by the Centre of Excellence at Galgotias University. She further highlighted the institution as the first private university to invest heavily in artificial intelligence, detailing how the robot could perform surveillance and monitoring tasks while roaming freely across the campus.
However, the internet was quick to notice striking similarities between Orion and a commercially available quadruped robot. Tech enthusiasts and critics on social media identified the machine as the Unitree Go2. This AI powered robotic dog is manufactured by Unitree Robotics, a Chinese robotics firm known for creating affordable quadruped robots that rival higher end models. The Unitree Go2 is sold online and is available in India for approximately two to three lakh rupees. In some videos, observers pointed out that the original manufacturer branding was still visible on the device.
The swift online backlash accused the university of misrepresenting an imported, off the shelf product as a homegrown, indigenous innovation. The incident sparked a broader debate about the ethics of presenting imported technology at government backed platforms intended to showcase domestic artificial intelligence ambitions.
The summit itself is a high-profile event hosting over twenty Heads of State, sixty ministers, and five hundred global AI leaders, positioning it as one of the largest AI gatherings in the Global South.
Following the viral outrage, Galgotias University issued public clarifications to defend its position. In its official statements, the university explicitly noted that Galgotias has not built this robodog, neither have they claimed to do so. The institution explained that the recently acquired robot from Unitree serves as a classroom in motion, allowing students to experiment, test limits, and expand their knowledge. The university emphasized that it regularly brings cutting edge technologies from global innovation hubs like the United States, China, and Singapore to its campus to provide students with real world exposure. They added that their true goal is to build minds that will soon design, engineer, and manufacture such technologies right here in Bharat.
Despite this defense, a community note on the social media platform X flagged the university statement as incorrect and misleading, citing the viral video where the robot was explicitly claimed as an in-house development.
Addressing the confusion, Professor Singh later acknowledged that her remarks might not have been clearly communicated. She mentioned that the controversy happened because things may not have been expressed clearly, and that the intent behind showcasing the robot was not properly understood. She clarified that they cannot claim they manufactured it, and that the robot was brought to the expo merely to inspire students to create something better on their own. Regarding the eviction notice, she stated she had no information about that, noting that the university team was still present at the expo at the time of her statement.
Other university officials echoed this sentiment. Registrar Dr Nitin Kumar Gaur mentioned in a telephonic interview with media outlets that they had already issued a statement that they had purchased the robot and their students were working on it. He added that they never claimed that they made it. He maintained that the institution had not received any official communication regarding the stall and would act accordingly once a formal notice was received.
Nevertheless, the incident has cast a shadow over the university participation at the summit and has earned a lot of infamy for it. For Galgotias University, the episode serves as a stark reminder of the intense scrutiny that accompanies public claims of technological innovation in the digital age.
