The India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam recently faced a major controversy involving Galgotias University. The institution’s stall was shut down after it was discovered that a robotic dog, presented as their in-house invention, was actually a commercially available product from China. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) ordered the removal of the stall on February 18, 2026, leading to widespread public debate and protests by student organizations at the university campus in Greater Noida.
Why did MeitY take action against Galgotias University?
The controversy began on February 17 when a video went viral showing Professor Neha Singh, a representative of the university, claiming the robotic dog named ‘Orion’ was a product of their ‘Center of Excellence’. However, experts identified the robot as the ‘Unitree Go2’ model manufactured by the Chinese firm Unitree Robotics. This robot is sold internationally for prices ranging between $1,600 and $2,800. According to MeitY officials, presenting a third-party product as an original institutional invention is a direct violation of the summit’s code of conduct and ethics policy.
Protests and University Response
Following the international attention on the matter, members of the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha (SCS) gathered outside the Galgotias University campus to protest. The student leaders alleged that the university’s actions have damaged the credibility of the Indian technology sector on a global stage. In response, the university management issued a formal apology, attributing the misinformation to their representative whom they described as ill-informed. They clarified that the robot was purchased for student programming exercises and was never intended to be claimed as an institutional invention.
- Event Location: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
- Robot Model: Unitree Go2 (China).
- Estimated Price: ₹1.35 lakh to ₹2.35 lakh.
- Action Taken: Stall power cut and barricaded on February 18.
- Official Demand: Students are calling for a high-level inquiry and cancellation of university recognition.
Government officials including S. Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY, and Abhishek Singh, CEO of IndiaAI Mission, stated that exhibitors must only showcase genuine work. They emphasized that misleading the public at a prestigious national summit cannot be encouraged. A PIB Fact Check also clarified that while Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had shared a video showcasing AI capabilities, he did not explicitly label the robot as an indigenous Indian product.
