NEW DELHI: What was meant to be a proud moment for Indian academia turned into one of the most talked-about embarrassments of 2026. Galgotias University walked into the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam with a robotic dog. It walked out — or rather, was asked to leave — after the entire country found out the dog was made in China.
Here is everything you need to know about what happened, who said what, and why it matters.
What Is the India AI Impact Summit 2026?
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is a flagship five-day government event inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The summit was designed to showcase India’s growing ambitions as an artificial intelligence superpower — attracting world leaders, global tech giants, and domestic innovators under one roof.
The event drew massive investment pledges, including commitments from Microsoft, the Adani Group, and data centre firm Yotta, totalling over $100 billion. In his address, PM Modi laid out India’s vision to become a top-tier AI nation with a focus on inclusivity and ethical governance.
Against this backdrop of high ambition, Galgotias University set up a stall.
What Did Galgotias University Display at the AI Summit?
At its expo pavilion, Galgotias University — a private institution based in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh — showcased a four-legged robotic dog it named **”Orion.”**
Professor Neha Singh, a communications faculty member at the university’s School of Business, introduced the robot to DD News in a video that quickly went viral. She said on camera: *”We are the first private university investing more than 350 crore rupees in artificial intelligence and we have a dedicated data science and AI block on the campus. Orion has been developed by the Centre of Excellences.”*
She added the robot could perform surveillance and monitoring tasks — and noted, with some enthusiasm, that it was “quite naughty.”
How Was the Robodog Identified as Chinese?
Within hours of the video going live, tech enthusiasts and social media users had identified the robot as the **Unitree Go2** — a commercially available quadruped robot manufactured by Chinese robotics company **Unitree Robotics**.
The Unitree Go2 was launched in 2023 and is widely used in research and education worldwide. It is available for purchase in India through websites like Robu.in, and retails for approximately **₹2–3 lakh (around $2,800)**. It is powered by an 8,000mAh battery and designed for surveillance, automation, and academic research.
In other words: it was a product anyone could buy off the shelf. It was not invented by Galgotias University.
What Happened After the Controversy Broke Out?
The backlash was swift and severe.
The Indian government moved quickly. **S. Krishnan, IT Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology**, confirmed that the university was asked to vacate its exhibition stall. He said clearly: *”We do not want such exhibits to continue. If you mislead… we do not want a controversial agency whom people believe are exhibiting something which is not theirs.”*
Power supply to the Galgotias University pavilion at the summit was reportedly cut off, and visuals from the venue showed the stall standing empty. University staff and students were seen vacating the premises.
**Abhishek Singh**, Additional Secretary at MeitY, said the intent was not to stifle innovation but that exhibits must not be misleading. He added that the controversy “should not overshadow the kind of effort that the others have put in.”
What Did Galgotias University Say in Response?
The university issued multiple statements — and the story shifted with each one.
**First Statement:** Galgotias distanced itself from the claim, saying it never built the robot. The statement read: *”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.”*
**Second Statement (Apology):** The university formally apologised and placed the blame squarely on Professor Neha Singh — saying she was “ill-informed,” was not authorised to speak to the press, and acted out of “enthusiasm of being on camera.” The statement read: *”We at Galgotias University wish to apologise profusely for the confusion created at the recent AI Summit.”*
**Professor Neha Singh’s Response:** Singh accepted partial responsibility while defending her intent. She told PTI: *”The controversy happened because things may not have been expressed clearly. I take accountability that perhaps I did not communicate it properly. Regarding the robot dog — we cannot claim that we manufactured it. I introduced it to our students to inspire them to create something better.”*
The university registrar, **Nitin Kumar Gaur**, told ANI that Singh “might have been confused by the words ‘develop’ and ‘development’ in the flow.”
How Did the Opposition React?
The political fallout was immediate.
Congress posted on X: *”The Modi government has made a laughing stock of India globally, with regard to AI. Chinese robots are being displayed as our own. The Chinese media has mocked us. This is truly embarrassing for India.”* The party also accused IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw of promoting the Chinese robot at the summit — noting that Vaishnaw had shared the DD News clip on his X account before quietly deleting it.
**Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi** called the summit a *”disorganised PR spectacle“* and said Indian data was “up for sale” while Chinese products were being showcased.
**Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah** took a sharper tone on X, writing: *”So this is what Galgotias teaches its students by example — copy someone else’s work and claim it as your own. When you get caught, you don’t own up and apologise, instead you make excuses. When that doesn’t work, you throw an employee under the bus.”*
**CPI(M) MP John Brittas** alleged that Galgotias University had enjoyed the “patronage and support of prominent BJP leaders.”
Other Problems at the AI Summit
The robodog row was not the only crisis at the event. Congress MP Sasikant Senthil described the summit as “a masterclass in how not to host a tech event,” citing crashing logistics, patchy Wi-Fi, UPI payment failures, and exhibitors being locked out before the Prime Minister’s visit.
In one particularly striking incident, Dhananjay Yadav, CEO of AI startup NeoSapien, claimed on X that his company’s patented AI wearables were stolen from inside the summit premises on Day 1, after exhibitors were asked to vacate their stalls ahead of PM Modi’s visit. Delhi Police recovered the items the following day.
One viral post read: “No UPI, only cash at food counter at India AI Impact Summit 2026. Truly #DigitalIndia…”
Organisers have since extended exhibition hours and say attendance and engagement have improved.
Who Is Neha Singh of Galgotias University?
Professor Neha Singh is an Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Communications at the School of Business, Galgotias University. She became the focal point of national media attention after the viral DD News clip. In subsequent interviews, she maintained that her intent was never to deceive — but acknowledged the communication was unclear.
Who Is Suneel Galgotia — The Man Behind the University?
Suneel Galgotia is the founder and owner of Galgotias University. He completed his studies at Shri Ram College of Commerce and began his career in publishing in the 1980s before expanding into education. He founded the Galgotias Institute of Management and Technology (GIMT), which was granted university status by the Uttar Pradesh government in 2011, giving birth to Galgotias University.
What Is the Unitree Go2 — The Robot at the Centre of It All?
The Unitree Go2 is a commercially available AI-powered quadruped robot made by Unitree Robotics, a leading Chinese robotics company. Launched in 2023, the robot is designed for research, education, surveillance, and automation use cases. It features an 8,000mAh battery (15,000mAh in the EDU version) and is available to buy in India from platforms like Robu.in for ₹2–3 lakh.
The robot is used widely by universities and research institutions globally — which is precisely why experts identified it so quickly.
The Bigger Picture: What This Row Says About India’s AI Moment
The Galgotias episode has done something the opposition could not do on its own — it has placed a question mark over India’s AI credibility on a global stage, at the very event designed to showcase it.
Al Jazeera, international wire services, and Chinese media all covered the story, amplifying the embarrassment beyond Indian borders.
The summit itself is still projecting a confident face. Over $100 billion in AI investment pledges have been made. The government’s vision is clear. But as IT Secretary Krishnan himself put it — misinformation cannot be encouraged. And in the race to lead the AI age, India cannot afford to stumble over the basics.Other Problems at the AI Summit
The robodog row was not the only crisis at the event. Congress MP Sasikant Senthil described the summit as “a masterclass in how not to host a tech event,” citing crashing logistics, patchy Wi-Fi, UPI payment failures, and exhibitors being locked out before the Prime Minister’s visit.
In one particularly striking incident, Dhananjay Yadav, CEO of AI startup NeoSapien, claimed on X that his company’s patented AI wearables were stolen from inside the summit premises on Day 1, after exhibitors were asked to vacate their stalls ahead of PM Modi’s visit. Delhi Police recovered the items the following day.
One viral post read: “No UPI, only cash at food counter at India AI Impact Summit 2026. Truly #DigitalIndia…”
Organisers have since extended exhibition hours and say attendance and engagement have improved.
Who Is Neha Singh of Galgotias University?
Professor Neha Singh is an Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Communications at the School of Business, Galgotias University. She became the focal point of national media attention after the viral DD News clip. In subsequent interviews, she maintained that her intent was never to deceive — but acknowledged the communication was unclear.
Who Is Suneel Galgotia — The Man Behind the University?
Suneel Galgotia is the founder and owner of Galgotias University. He completed his studies at Shri Ram College of Commerce and began his career in publishing in the 1980s before expanding into education. He founded the Galgotias Institute of Management and Technology (GIMT), which was granted university status by the Uttar Pradesh government in 2011, giving birth to Galgotias University.
What Is the Unitree Go2 — The Robot at the Centre of It All?
The Unitree Go2 is a commercially available AI-powered quadruped robot made by Unitree Robotics, a leading Chinese robotics company. Launched in 2023, the robot is designed for research, education, surveillance, and automation use cases. It features an 8,000mAh battery (15,000mAh in the EDU version) and is available to buy in India from platforms like Robu.in for ₹2–3 lakh.
The robot is used widely by universities and research institutions globally — which is precisely why experts identified it so quickly.
The Bigger Picture: What This Row Says About India’s AI Moment
The Galgotias episode has done something the opposition could not do on its own — it has placed a question mark over India’s AI credibility on a global stage, at the very event designed to showcase it.
Al Jazeera, international wire services, and Chinese media all covered the story, amplifying the embarrassment beyond Indian borders.
The summit itself is still projecting a confident face. Over $100 billion in AI investment pledges have been made. The government’s vision is clear. But as IT Secretary Krishnan himself put it — misinformation cannot be encouraged. And in the race to lead the AI age, India cannot afford to stumble over the basics.
Also Read:
