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NEW DELHI: Galgotias University on Wednesday apologised after a controversy erupted over the display of a Chinese-made robotic dog at its stall during the AI Impact Summit expo at Bharat Mandapam. In the statement however, the university blamed the woman professor for the fiasco. The university issued a press statement after it was asked to vacate its pavilion at the summit. In the statement, it expressed regret over the confusion and said it arose because Professor Neha Singh, who was managing the stall, was unaware of the product’s technical origins.
“We at Galgotias University, wish to apologise profusely for the confusion created at the recent AI Summit. One of our representatives, manning the pavilion, was ill-informed. She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information even though she was not authorised to speak to the press… Understanding the organisers sentiment we have vacated the premises.” The robotic dog, showcased as “Orion”, was identified by observers as the Unitree Go2, a commercially available quadruped robot manufactured by Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics. The incident triggered criticism, as the summit was aimed at highlighting domestic innovation in artificial intelligence.The controversy began after the robotic dog displayed at the university’s booth was recognised as the Unitree Go2, which is available commercially in India for around Rs 2–3 lakh. Critics alleged that the robot was presented as an in-house innovation, raising concerns about the showcasing of imported technology at a national AI event.Government sources earlier said Galgotias University was asked to vacate its stall following the row. Power supply to the pavilion was also reportedly cut off after the university was directed to leave the expo.The AI Impact Summit 2026, inaugurated by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a flagship event focused on promoting India’s advancements and capabilities in artificial intelligence.
What triggered the row?
The controversy escalated after Professor Neha Singh, while presenting the robot earlier, told DD News, “We are the first private university investing more than 350 crore rupees in artificial intelligence and we have a dedicated data science and artificial intelligence block on the campus. So Orion has been developed by the Center of Excellences and as you can see, it can take all shapes and sizes.”“It’s quite naughty also. It’s quite naughty also and it can perform small tasks of surveillance, monitoring,” she added.Her remarks led to scrutiny after observers identified the robot as the Unitree Go2, a product sold globally by Unitree Robotics.
University’s earlier clarifications
In its first clarification issued after the row broke out, the university stated that it had neither built nor claimed to have built the robotic dog, emphasising that its focus was on student learning.“Let us be clear – Galgotias has not built this robodog, neither have we claimed. But what we are building are minds that will soon design, engineer, and manufacture such technologies right here in Bharat. Innovation knows no borders. Learning should not either. We will continue to source the best technologies from across the world so our students can study them, challenge them, improve upon them—and ultimately create world-class solutions from India for the world.”In a subsequent statement, the university said concerns about “propaganda” against it were misplaced.“We at Galgotias, faculty and students, are deeply pained by the propaganda campaign against our university. We would like to clearly state that the robotic programming is part of our endeavour to make students learn AI programming and develop & deploy real world skills using globally available tools and resources, given developing AI talent is need of an hour.” Professor Neha Singh also addressed the controversy, saying, “The controversy happened because things may not have been expressed clearly. I take accountability that perhaps I did not communicate it properly, as it was done with a lot of energy and enthusiasm and very quickly, so I may not have come across as eloquently as I usually do. Also, the intent may not have been properly understood. One important point is regarding the robot dog—we cannot claim that we manufactured it. I have told everyone that we introduced it to our students to inspire them to create something better on their own. Our university contributes to building future leaders by providing cutting-edge technologies in the field of AI, and it will continue to do so.”
Rahul Gandhi describes summit as ‘disorganised PR spectacle’
The issue also drew sharp reactions from the Opposition.The Congress party said on X: “The Modi government has made a laughing stock of India globally, with regard to AI. In the ongoing AI summit, Chinese robots are being displayed as our own. The Chinese media has mocked us. This is truly embarrassing for India. What is even more shameful is the fact that Modi’s minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is indulging in the same falsehood, promoting China’s robots at the Indian summit.” “The Modi Government has caused irreparable damage to the image of the country – they have reduced AI to a joke – a field in which we could be world leaders given our data power,” it added.Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi described the summit as a “disorganised PR spectacle.” In a post on X, he said, “Instead of leveraging India’s talent and data, the AI summit is a disorganised PR spectacle – Indian data up for sale, Chinese products showcased.” Go to Source
