Galgotias University has been asked to vacate its stall at the AI Summit Expo immediately, sources said, amid a controversy over the display of a robotic dog that raised questions about the origin and ownership of the technology showcased, said government sources.
Controversy erupted after Galgotias University faced online backlash for showcasing a robotic dog labeled "Orion" at the AI Summit expo that critics said was actually a Chinese-made Unitree Go2 and not an in-house innovation.
The sources said Galgotias University has been asked to vacate the expo immediately.
Following the controversy, the university had came out with a statement.It that the University never claimed to have developed the robotic dog showcased at the event and that the device was procured from a Chinese manufacturer for academic purposes.
The Greater Noida-based university said that the robotic dog on display was purchased from Unitree Robotics and was being used as a hands-on learning tool for students. The clarification followed widespread criticism on social media, where users alleged that the institution had passed off an imported robotic product as an indigenously developed innovation.
The controversy centred on a video clip from the summit in which a person identified as a faculty member of the university is seen explaining the features of the robotic dog, referred to as “ORION”, during a media interaction and stating that it had been developed at the Centre of Excellence at Galgotias University. In the clip, the presenter said the robot was capable of surveillance and monitoring tasks and could move freely across the university campus. Several viewers subsequently pointed out that the device closely resembled the Unitree Go2, an AI-enabled robotic dog sold online for approximately Rs 2–3 lakh.
The statement on X further added that the students are "experimenting with it, testing its limits and, in the process, expanding their own knowledge," the university said.
However, the clarification itself was later flagged by an X community note, which stated that the university’s assertion of not presenting the robot as its own was “incorrect and misleading”. The note claimed that the robot had been named “Orion” and that it was explicitly described as having been developed by the university’s team during the presentation at the summit.
The university in it's statement had reiterated that its broader objective was to expose students to cutting-edge technologies from across the world. It said it had consistently sourced advanced tools from global innovation hubs, including the US, China and Singapore, to ensure students gain real-world exposure to emerging technologies.
“Innovation knows no borders. Learning should not either,” the university said, adding that its focus was on enabling students to study advanced technologies, question them and improve upon them. It stressed that the initiative was not about importing technology for display but about inspiring students to eventually build world-class solutions from India for the global market.
Unitree Robotics is known for producing a range of quadruped robots designed to mimic animal movement and perform tasks such as obstacle navigation, inspection, research and entertainment. Its robotic dogs are often compared with higher-end platforms such as Boston Dynamics’ Spot, though Unitree’s models are positioned as more affordable and accessible.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi took to X, calling the AI summit a “disorganised PR spectacle” and wrote that Indian data was being put up for sale while Chinese products were showcased.
Gandhi also tagged a post of the Congress which alleged, "The Modi government has made a laughing stock of India globally, with regard to AI. "
"The Chinese media has mocked us. This is truly embarrassing for India.What is even more shameful is the fact that Modi's minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is indulging in the same falsehood, promoting China's robots at the Indian summit," the Congress said.
"The Modi Government has caused irreparable damage to the image of the country - they have reduced AI to a joke - a field in which we could be world leaders given our data power. Brazenly shameless," the Congress said on X.