Power cut off at Galgotias stall; Chinese-made robo dog leaves Uttar Pradesh university embarrassed

Thursday 19 February 2026 12:54 AM IST

NEW DELHI: Robo dog was one of the main attractions at the expo in conjunction with the AI ​​Summit being held at Delhi's Bharat Mandapam. The Galgotias University in Uttar Pradesh claimed that it had developed the robot, named 'Orion'. However, in a major embarrassment, the university was caught red-handed when evidence emerged that the robot was manufactured by a Chinese robotics manufacturing company, Unitree. It was found that the university had purchased it for Rs 2.5 lakh.

The controversy flared up, inviting flak on a national level, embarrassing the university and the staff involved. The Congress accused the Modi government of making India a laughing stock globally in the matter of AI. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the summit for showcasing Chinese products instead of utilising India's ingenious talent and data. He also said that the summit had become a PR exercise.

Within hours of the controversy, the electricity in the Galgotias University pavilion was disconnected. The authorities immediately ordered the students to pack up their belongings and leave. Meanwhile, Galgotias University came up with a justification that they did not claim to have developed the robo dog. The university alleged that misinformation was being spread on social media, which has left teachers and students deeply pained.