Galgotias University was removed from the government-backed India AI Impact summit after officials found that a robotic dog displayed at its stall was a commercially available Go2 model made by Chinese robotics company Unitree. As this news gets viral, the university and government are facing massive backlash from the public. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) ordered the university’s stall to be shut and asked the institution to leave the event to protect the summit’s focus on Indian innovation.
The issue surfaced when attendees and technology experts at the summit identified the robot as Unitree’s Go2 model, which is widely sold online. Videos from the event were shared on X, where users quickly pointed out that the robot appeared identical to the Chinese product. Questions were raised about whether the university had presented the machine as its own creation.
According to people present at the venue, university representatives initially described the robot as part of their innovation work. This led to confusion about whether the hardware itself had been developed by the university. After concerns were flagged, MeitY intervened and removed the stall.
In a later clarification, Galgotias University said it did not claim to have built the robot’s hardware from scratch. The university stated that its work focused on developing software and custom AI systems that were installed on the robot to perform specific tasks. It said the innovation was in the programming, not in manufacturing the robot body.
Public reaction on X (Twitter) to the AI summit news was mostly filled with anger and disappointment. The Public Criticized the government for the mismanagement and was sad with the fact that the country’s image was hurt.
One user said the government’s action was not enough and asked for strict punishment against Galgotia University, showing strong frustration.
Another user said the real fault was not only the university but the officials who allowed it to happen, blaming poor planning by the organizers.
A third user called the whole situation embarrassing and said it showed bad management, especially after the issue of presenting a Chinese product as their own.
Similarly, another tweet said the incident was shameful for the country and criticized the government for not acting quickly and properly.
The incident has triggered a wider debate about academic honesty and transparency in technology showcases. The India AI Impact summit is designed to promote Indian startups, researchers and institutions working in artificial intelligence. The display of a foreign-made robot at an event meant to highlight local innovation drew criticism, especially at a time when India is promoting Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat to reduce dependence on imported technology.
Experts say that using foreign hardware for research is common in universities around the world. However, they note that institutions must clearly explain what part of a project is imported and what part is locally developed. They add that clear disclosure is important to maintain public trust.
So far, no further action beyond the removal from the event has been announced. The discussion continues online and within academic circles, where many are calling for clearer guidelines to ensure transparency in future technology exhibitions.
