A storm erupted at the India AI Impact Summit after Galgotias University was accused of showcasing a Chinese Unitree robodog as its own. The Centre stepped in with a sharp warning, stressing exhibitors must not display items they don’t own.
Centre on Wednesday issued a caution to exhibitors at the India AI Impact Summit 2026
New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday issued a caution to exhibitors at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 following the controversy surrounding a robot dog displayed at Galgotias University’s stall.
IT Secretary S Krishnan, speaking to PTI, said exhibitors “must not display items that are not theirs,” underscoring the need for transparency at high-profile technology events.
The controversy erupted after a video from the summit showed a university representative introducing a robotic dog as an in-house innovation. In the clip, Professor Neha Singh referred to the machine as “Orion” and described it as a product developed by the university’s Centre of Excellence, highlighting its surveillance and campus monitoring capabilities.
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However, social media users quickly identified the device as the Go2 model made by Unitree Robotics, a Chinese robotics firm. The quadruped robot, widely used for research and educational purposes, is commercially available and not an original creation of the institution.
According to reports, authorities at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 directed the university to vacate its stall, calling the episode a “national embarrassment.” The incident triggered widespread debate online over intellectual ownership and accurate representation at public exhibitions.
Traffic restrictions were also in place in parts of the capital as senior leaders attended the summit, adding to the event’s prominence.
In a subsequent statement, Galgotias University clarified that it had not built the robot dog and had never formally claimed to have manufactured it. The institution attributed the confusion to an “ill-informed” remark made in the “enthusiasm of being on camera,” adding that the professor was not authorised to address the media.
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The university maintained that its focus remains on fostering innovation and preparing students to develop such technologies in India in the future.
The episode has reignited conversations about credibility in India’s rapidly growing AI ecosystem. The government’s warning serves as a reminder that innovation showcases must adhere to strict standards of authenticity, especially at events of national and international significance.
