The international AI Impact Summit 2026 currently underway in Delhi was rocked by a major controversy on February 17 and 18 after a China-made robotic dog was displayed at the Galgotias University (GU) pavilion at Bharat mandapam as its own creation, under the name 'Orion' (Operational Robotic Intelligence Node).
As soon as a video went viral on February 17 showing a university representative saying that Orion, the 'robodog', was "developed by the Centre of Excellence at Galgotias University", social media users pointed out that it was, in fact, a commercially available product made in China.
By the afternoon of Wednesday, February 18, everything else about the summit, including the presence of global leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, got overshadowed by the fiasco with almost every major national and international media outlet running stories on Galgotia's alleged plagiarism and misrepresentation of facts. Among them were Reuters, Associated Press, Al Jazeera, BBC, The Strait Times, ABC et al.
The Greater Noida-based private university tried to defend itself by stating that it never claimed the robodog was built by GU. It shared the statement on social media.
This, however, is a plain falsehood. The entire controversy began after Neha Singh, an assistant professor of communications at the school of management at GU, told DD News that the robotic dog was developed by the university. She also said that more than Rs 350 crore was invested by the varsity in artificial intelligence. The state broadcaster later deleted the video, but it is still available online. Readers can watch it below:
https://vimeo.com/1166099644?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
The professor in the eye of the storm, too, gave a clarification. What she said while explaining the controversy can be heard below:
Another faculty member said that the whole controversy was based upon a misinterpretation. The imported model had been brought to the university so students could interact with it, as part of the 350-crores AI investment, she pointed out, adding that the university believed in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of "Aatmanirbhar Bharat".
A second statement, signed by registrar N K Gaur, was issued by the university at 5.04 pm on Wednesday. Apologizing for the 'confusion', the varsity sought to distance itself from the entire fiasco and put the blame on Singh.
"One of our representatives, manning the pavilion, was ill-informed. She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information even though she was not authorised to speak to the press," it said, adding, "... there was no institutional intent to misrepresent this innovation."
Misinformation Cannot be Encouraged: Govt
Facing sharp criticism from various quarters, the government eventually asked GU to leave the summit. Secretary, Union ministry of electronics and information technology, S Krishnan told journalists on February 18 that the government wanted "genuine, and actual work to be reflected in a way that people exhibit in an expos".
"We don't want controversy around exhibits which are presented here, so I think, it's essential that a set code is followed there, our intention is, misinformation cannot be encouraged, so we don't want controversy around exhibits in the expo, so I'm not getting into whether they're right, or wrong, we just don't want the controversy."
It is pertinent to add that the official X handle of the ministry had posted a video showing a segment from a DD News report on the robotic dog. It was later deleted. (Archive)
Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, too, had shared visuals of the robotic dog in an X post in which he lauded "Bharat's sovereign models". The post, however, was later deleted.
Later in the day, the Galgotias University team were seen leaving the summit premises amid reports of electricity being cut in their pavilion.
Below is a visual side-by-side comparison between the Unitree Go2 model and the Orion robot-dog:
Mounting Criticism from Various Quarters
Thanks to the robodog row, what was ticked to be a high-profile show of India's supposed advancement in the field of artificial intelligence and Prime Minister Modi's vision of AI, turned into large-scale embarrassment.
Congress put out a sharp statement, calling out Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "causing irreparable damage to the image of the country."
Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra took a dig at IT minister Vaishnaw and asked him to quit as he had "made India a laughing stock".
"Galgotias Unvsty has enjoyed the patronage and support of prominent BJP leaders, with Dr. Sambit Patra to Union Minister Piyush Goyal having graced various university programs. It is no surprise that the institution frequently emphasizes the "Viksit Bharat" slogan. This close association was evident when the university blatantly showcased a commercially available Chinese robotic dog as an in house invention, branded as "Orion" in the AI Summit, which was promoted in a tweet by none other than the IT Minister!" CPI(M) MP John Brittas said in an X post.
Economist Kaushik Basu, too, was scathing in his criticism.
After Robodog, Soccer Drone under Scanner
The robotic dog was not the only product exhibited by Galgotias University that raised concerns over misappropriation.
In another segment of the DD News interview, Neha Singh introduced what she claimed to be "India's first drone soccer arena." She mentioned that every aspect of its end-to-end engineering, and application, had been carried out at Galgotias University.
https://vimeo.com/1166256338?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci
However, a reverse image search on the model led us to the website of South Korea's Helsel Group, which specialises in drone sports. The specific model, as showcased by the representative of Galgotias University, has close resemblances with the "Striker V3 ARF Semi-Assembled" set. See the comparison below:
Past Controversies
This is not the first time that Galgotias University has found itself at the centre of a controversy.
In 2020, a research scholar at Galgotias University had published a paper which looked into whether the sound vibrations produced by thalis (metal plates) and ghantis (bells) could potentially kill Coronavirus.
The paper was later retracted.
In 2024, a large number of students from Galgotias University protested against Congress's push for wealth redistribution measures. When journalist Ashutosh Mishra asked the students what they had shown up for, none were able to properly articulate their grievances. Many replied with vague utterances, and some declared that they wanted the BJP in power.
เคจ्เคฏूเฅ เคนिเคฎाเคเคฒी News Himachali | เคนिเคฎाเคเคฒ เคी No. 1 เคนिंเคฆी เคตेเคฌเคธाเคเค CM เคฏोเคी เคा เคฌเฅा เคฌเคฏाเคจ, UP เคฎें เคธเคญी เคญเคฐ्เคคी เคชเคฐीเค्เคทाเคं เคे เคฒिเค เคฌเคจे เคเค เคเค...
เคคเคนเคीเคाเคค เคจ्เคฏूเฅ GORAKHPUR เคธเคชा เคंเคกे เคฐंเค เคฎें เคฐเคा เคเคฏा เคोเคฐเคเคชुเคฐ เคฎें เคถौเคाเคฒเคฏ,เคธเคชा เคिเคฒाเคง्เคฏเค्เคท เคจे เคฆिเคฏा เค्เคाเคชเคจ เคเคคाเคฏा เคตिเคฐोเคง VARANASI เคญाเคฐ...
เคจ्เคฏूเฅ เคนिเคฎाเคเคฒी News Himachali | เคนिเคฎाเคเคฒ เคी No. 1 เคนिंเคฆी เคตेเคฌเคธाเคเค เคเคฌ เคธोเคซिเคฏा เคนเคฏाเคค เคจे เคฐोเคนिเคค เคถเคฐ्เคฎा เคเคฐ เคตिเคฐाเค เคोเคนเคฒी เคो เคฒेเคเคฐ เคिเค เค เคถ्เคฒीเคฒ ...
เคจ्เคฏूเฅ เคนिเคฎाเคเคฒी News Himachali | เคนिเคฎाเคเคฒ เคी No. 1 เคนिंเคฆी เคตेเคฌเคธाเคเค เคเค เคฎोเคฌाเคเคฒ เคซोเคจ เคเคฐ 7000 เคฐुเคชเคฏे, เคैเคธे เคเคธ เคธ्เคूเคฒी เคाเคค्เคฐ เคจे เคंเคฆ เคฎเคนीเคจों ...
Hello, my name is Ankit Sahu. I'm a 25 year old self-employed Pirate from the Chhindwara.