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NEW DELHI: Galgotias University was asked to vacate its stall astatine the AI Summit Expo successful Bharat Mandapam connected Wednesday aft a robotic canine displayed astatine its booth arsenic an in-house innovation was identified arsenic a commercially disposable Chinese product, said authorities sources.The robot, showcased by the assemblage arsenic “Orion,” was recognised by observers arsenic the Unitree Go2 made by Chinese robotics steadfast Unitree. The incidental rapidly escalated into a wider contention astatine the India AI Impact Summit 2026, a flagship AI lawsuit inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
AI Impact Summit: Facing Backlash Over China-made Robo Dog, Galgotias University Told To Leave Event
What the enactment is about
The robotic canine displayed astatine the university’s stall was identified arsenic the Unitree Go2, a commercially disposable quadruped robot sold successful India for astir Rs 2–3 lakh. Critics said the robot was presented astatine the acme arsenic a merchandise developed by the university, raising questions astir showcasing imported exertion astatine a nationalist AI lawsuit meant to item home innovation.The occurrence triggered a broader statement implicit claims of indigenous AI improvement versus the usage of globally disposable tools successful acquisition and research.
What triggered the row
Professor Neha Singh, portion presenting the robot earlier, told DD News, "We are the archetypal backstage assemblage investing much than 350 crore rupees successful artificial quality and we person a dedicated information subject and artificial quality artifact connected the campus.
So Orion has been developed by the Center of Excellences and arsenic you tin see, it tin instrumentality each shapes and sizes.”“It's rather naughty also. It's rather naughty besides and it tin execute tiny tasks of surveillance, monitoring,” she added.
Opposition reacts
The contention drew crisp reactions from opposition. The Congress said connected X: “The Modi authorities has made a laughing banal of India globally, with respect to AI. In the ongoing AI summit, Chinese robots are being displayed arsenic our own.
The Chinese media has mocked us. This is genuinely embarrassing for India. What is adjacent much shameful is the information that Modi’s curate Ashwini Vaishnaw is indulging successful the aforesaid falsehood, promoting China's robots astatine the Indian summit.
""The Modi Government has caused irreparable harm to the representation of the state - they person reduced AI to a gag - a tract successful which we could beryllium satellite leaders fixed our information power," it added.
Leader of absorption successful Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi called the acme a “disorganised PR spectacle.”
In a station connected X, helium said, “Instead of leveraging India's endowment and data, the AI acme is simply a disorganised PR spectacle - Indian information up for sale, Chinese products showcased.”
University issues clarification
In the archetypal statement, Galgotias University said it had not built oregon claimed to person built the robotic canine and emphasised its absorption connected pupil learning done vulnerability to precocious planetary technologies."Let america beryllium wide - Galgotias has not built this robodog,neither person we claimed.
But what we are gathering are minds that volition soon design, engineer, and manufacture specified technologies close present successful Bharat. Innovation knows nary borders. Learning should not either. We volition proceed to root the champion technologies from crossed the satellite truthful our students tin survey them, situation them, amended upon them—and yet make world-class solutions from India for the world.
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In a aboriginal statement, the assemblage said concerns astir “propaganda” against the assemblage were misplaced.“We astatine Galgotias, module and students, are profoundly pained by the propaganda run against our university. We would similar to intelligibly authorities that the robotic programming is portion of our endeavour to marque students larn Al programming and make & deploy existent satellite skills utilizing globally disposable tools and resources, fixed processing Al endowment is request of an hour.”
Professor Neha Singh, who was representing the university, said the contention stemmed from unclear communication.“The contention happened due to the fact that things whitethorn not person been expressed clearly. I instrumentality accountability that possibly I did not pass it properly, arsenic it was done with a batch of vigor and enthusiasm and precise quickly, truthful I whitethorn not person travel crossed arsenic eloquently arsenic I usually do. Also, the intent whitethorn not person been decently understood. One important constituent is regarding the robot dog—we cannot assertion that we manufactured it.
I person told everyone that we introduced it to our students to animate them to make thing amended connected their own. Our assemblage contributes to gathering aboriginal leaders by providing cutting-edge technologies successful the tract of AI, and it volition proceed to bash so.”The summit’s absorption connected India’s AI ambitions was overshadowed aft observers identified the robot arsenic the Unitree Go2, a exemplary sold by Chinese robotics institution Unitree.
