Galgotias University faced intense backlash at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 for showcasing a Chinese-made Unitree Go2 robotic dog as its own “Orion” innovation, leading to its expulsion from the event. The incident sparked debates on authenticity in India’s AI ambitions during PM Modi’s flagship summit.
Controversy Unfolds
A university professor presented the robot dog as developed under Galgotias’ Rs 350 crore AI initiative, but social media sleuths identified it as the off-the-shelf Unitree Go2, priced around Rs 2.3 lakh. Government sources confirmed the university was asked to vacate its Bharat Mandapam stall, with power reportedly cut amid viral outrage. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s tweet featuring the dog was deleted.
University’s Response and Startup Pushback
Galgotias issued apologies, claiming the representative was “ill-informed” and the robot served as a student learning tool, not a claimed invention. Amid the uproar, startup General Autonomy shaded the fiasco by flaunting its genuine Made-in-India quadruped robot “Param,” declaring “enough of this nonsense.” This highlights India’s maturing robotics scene while underscoring the need for transparency in tech showcases.
