Galgotias University Rejects Removal from Delhi AI Summit as “Propaganda Campaign”

Indian University Evicted from AI Summit After Misrepresenting Chinese Robot as Original Creation

A Greater Noida-based private institution faced public embarrassment after being ejected from a prestigious national technology exhibition when claims about its robotic innovation were revealed to be false.

Galgotias University was asked to remove its exhibit and leave the expo zone at the India AI Impact Summit held at New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam after officials discovered the university had presented a commercially available Chinese robot as its own creation.

The controversy unfolded when university representatives showcased a robotic dog they called “Orion,” claiming it was developed in-house. Government sources later confirmed the robot was actually a Unitree Go2, a quadruped robot manufactured by Chinese robotics company Unitree, which retails in India for approximately ₹2-3 lakh.

“We want genuine exhibits. We don’t want a controversy over exhibits in the expo or to encourage plagiarism,” said S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). “The issue is about misleading and the claim to have made something which they have not.”

The misrepresentation came to light after Neha Singh, a faculty member representing Galgotias at the event, told DD News: “We are the first private university investing more than Rs 350 crore in artificial intelligence… So, Orion has been developed by the Centers of Excellence and as you can see, it can take all shapes and sizes.” Singh further described the robot as “quite naughty” and capable of surveillance and monitoring tasks.

The claims quickly drew scrutiny online, with technology experts identifying the robot as a standard commercial product rather than an original innovation. As the controversy spread across social media platforms, summit organizers took swift action to maintain the integrity of the event.

Krishnan emphasized that the decision to remove Galgotias was also made to ensure that “such exhibits don’t overshadow other genuine and excellent works showcased in the exhibition.” The India AI Impact Summit serves as a significant platform for highlighting indigenous innovation in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, making authenticity a critical concern.

Following their removal, Galgotias University issued multiple statements with evolving explanations. Their initial response acknowledged they had not built the robot themselves, instead emphasizing that the exhibit was meant to demonstrate student learning through exposure to global technologies. A subsequent statement characterized the criticism as a “propaganda campaign” against the institution.

As pressure mounted, Singh backtracked on the initial claims, stating, “We cannot claim that we manufactured it,” and suggesting the controversy stemmed from unclear communication.

In its final statement, the university “apologised profusely for the confusion” and attributed the misrepresentation to an “ill-informed” representative who provided “factually incorrect information.” The institution denied any institutional intent to misrepresent the innovation and confirmed it had vacated the premises in accordance with the organizers’ request.

The incident has sparked broader discussions about verification protocols at high-profile technology events and the authenticity of claims made by educational institutions about their research and development capabilities. Social media users questioned both the credibility of participants and the thoroughness of the vetting process at a summit designed to showcase genuine Indian technological innovation.

This embarrassing episode highlights growing concerns about misrepresentation in academic and technological spheres, particularly as India positions itself as an emerging global leader in artificial intelligence development and application.