Galgotias University Vacates Stall at India AI Impact Summit 2026 After Chinese Robodog Display Controversy

A controversy broke out at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 on Wednesday after Galgotias University was asked to clear its stall at the AI Summit Expo in Bharat Mandapam. The row began when a robotic dog showcased at the university's pavilion as part of its artificial intelligence initiatives was identified by observers and government officials as a commercially available Chinese-made model.

Galgotias University's Robodog Controversy At India AI Impact Summit 2026

Critics pointed out that the robotic dog displayed at the stall closely resembled the Unitree Go2, a model manufactured by Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics. The device is commercially sold in India for approximately Rs 2-3 lakh.

Observers alleged that there was no clear disclosure at the stall regarding the origin of the hardware, leading to confusion among attendees. The controversy intensified after video clips circulated online in which staff members appeared to suggest that the robotic dog was an in-house development.

The incident triggered questions about how imported hardware was being presented at a national event focused on promoting domestic AI innovation and indigenous technological capabilities. According to sources present at the venue, organisers subsequently asked the university to vacate the expo space, and power supply to the pavilion was reportedly cut off.

Galgotias University Vacates Stall From India AI Summit

Visuals from the venue show that the stall now stands vacant after it was confirmed that the Central government intervened in the matter.

Galgotias University Issues Clarification on Robotic Dog, Unitree go2 Backlash

In response to the backlash, Galgotias University issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), clarifying that the robotic dog had been procured from Unitree and was being used purely as a learning tool for students. The university firmly stated that it had not built the robot nor claimed to have done so.

"The recently acquired robodog from Unitree is one such step in that journey," the statement read. "It is not merely a machine on display; it is a classroom in motion. Our students are experimenting with it, testing its limits and, in the process, expanding their own knowledge. Let us be clear: Galgotias has not built this robodog, nor have we ever claimed to."

The institution further described the criticism as a "propaganda campaign" against the university. It emphasised that robotic programming forms part of its broader effort to equip students with practical AI skills using globally available tools and resources.

"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 and deploy real-world skills," the statement added.

Galgotias University Faculty and Registrar Respond to Allegations

Following the growing controversy, Professor Neha Singh from Galgotias University addressed the issue publicly. She acknowledged that the confusion may have arisen due to a lack of clarity during the presentation.

"I take accountability that perhaps I did not communicate it properly," she said, reiterating that the robotic dog was introduced as a learning and inspirational tool for students, not as a product manufactured by the university.

Nitin Kumar Gaur, Registrar of the university, also responded to the criticism, stating that the misunderstanding stemmed from the use of the words "develop" and "development."

"This is a jumble of two words, develop and development. We didn't develop it. We worked on its development," he told media. He added that the robot was purchased to enable student research and hands-on experimentation.

"If China is making the claim, then maybe it could be bought from China. We bought this robot for children's research," he stated, while also mentioning that he had not received any official communication regarding vacating the expo space.

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