Galgotias University faced controversy at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in Bharat Mandapam when a robotic dog displayed at its booth, presented as an in-house innovation called “Orion,” was identified as the commercially available Unitree Go2 from Chinese robotics firm Unitree. Government sources said the university was asked to vacate the expo after scrutiny revealed the robot was imported rather than developed on campus. The incident sparked criticism from opposition leaders, with the Congress and Rahul Gandhi calling the summit a “disorganised PR spectacle” and questioning the promotion of foreign technology as domestic innovation.
Professor Neha Singh had initially described the robot as a product of the university’s Rs 350-crore AI investment and claimed it could perform surveillance and monitoring tasks. After the controversy, the university clarified that it had never claimed to have manufactured the robot and emphasized that the purpose of showcasing Orion was educational—allowing students to study advanced global technologies and develop skills to eventually create their own AI solutions.
The university reiterated that the controversy arose from unclear communication and acknowledged that the intent behind presenting the robot might have been misunderstood. They stressed that their goal is to inspire students and provide exposure to cutting-edge AI tools, while continuing to focus on building India’s AI talent. Government officials, including IT Secretary S Krishnan, stated that only authentic work should be displayed at the summit and that misinformation should not overshadow the event. Despite viral media coverage and social media backlash, Galgotias University maintained that it had not been formally directed to leave the summit and remains committed to educating students using global technologies.
