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Exit, blame, apology and Centre's warning: Galgotias university's Chinese robodog row at AI Summit 2026 | Key points
After initial clarification, Galgotias University eventually apologised for the embarassment and blamed its representative for being ‘ill-informed’
Galgotias University found itself in the eye of a storm on Wednesday after presenting a Chinese robodog as its own during the ongoing India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Delhi's Bharat Mandapam. The Centre asked, then forced the university to vacate its stall at the expo, warning that exhibitors must not display others' items as their own.
The fiasco landed Galgotias University's representative, professor Neha Singh, in soup as the varsity said that she was 'ill-informed'. The university also blamed her 'enthusiasm of being on camera' as one of the reasons for the misrepresentation of the robodog. Follow live updates on Day 4 of India AI Impact Summit 2026
Here's a quick debrief on the university's Chinese robodog row:
Galgotias Chinese robodog row | What we know
- Galgotias' mega claim at AI Summit: The university's representative at the AI Impact Summit 2026, professor Neha Singh, on Tuesday, was seen describing the robodog as capable of surveillance and monitoring functions, saying that it moves freely across the campus. However, as the video went viral on social media, several viewers claimed that the robodog was actually sourced from a Chinese robotics firm, Unitree.
- Varsity's first statement: As the controversy over the robodog and soccer arena claim erupted, Galgotias University issued its first statement and said, "Galgotias has not built this robodog, nor have we claimed to do so. What we are building are minds that will soon design, engineer, and manufacture such technologies here in Bharat."
- Galgotias out of AI Summit: The Noida-based Galgotias University faced a huge embarrassment after claiming that a robotic dog and a "drone soccer arena" as its own at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. Their representation landed in trouble, only to face facts that the robodog is a Chinese product and the area is Korean. On top of this, the government first asked Galgotias University, then forced it to vacate its stall at the AI expo on Wednesday. The reason that Galgotias was asked to vacate the expo stall was that its conduct had become a "national embarrassment", said an official at the Centre's Press Information Bureau (PIB), on condition of anonymity, HT reported earlier.
- What IT ministry said: Information and Technology ministry's secretary, S Krishnan, said at a press conference that the government wants genuine exhibitors at the expo. "We don't want controversy around exhibits here. Plagiarism, misinformation cannot be encouraged. This should not overshadow the wonderful exhibits others have put on," he added. Further, Abhishek Singh, additional secretary at MeitY, stated that the main problem was that Galgotias claimed to be something they are not. "They misled. The whole world is here," he stated.
- Galgotias' second statement statement after row: After the misrepresentation blew up into a full controversy, Galgotias University issued another statement late Tuesday night or early Wednesday and expressed deep pain over what it said was a "propaganda campaign" against its university. "We would like to clearly state that the robotic programming is part of our endeavour to make students learn Al programming and develop and deploy real-world skills using globally available tools and resources, given that developing AI talent is the need of the hour. Our university’s vision is focused on student learning & innovation, and we provide students with access to modern technologies so they can gain practical experience and prepare for the future. Spreading negativity can harm the morale of students, who are working hard to innovate, learn, and build their skills using global technologies," it said.
- Galgotias' apology and a blame on Prof: As the row continued to escalate, Galgotias University issued a fresh clarification and apologised for the 'confusion' at the AI Impact Summit. It said that its representative, professor Neha Singh, was "ill-informed", and blamed her and her 'enthusiasm of being on camera'. The university further stated that Singh was unaware of the product's technical origins. “We at Galgotias University, wish to apologise profusely for the confusion created at the recent Al Summit. 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. Understanding the organisers sentiment we have vacated the premises,” the fresh statement of the Galgotias University reads.
- Professor reacts, regrets over row: Professor Neha Singh reacted to the entire fiasco over the robodog claims, saying her remarks were not clearly articulated, and expressing regret over how they were interpreted. The controversy stemmed from hurried communication and enthusiasm at the event, not from any intention to falsely claim ownership of the machine," said Singh in an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times at the expo venue. “I could have been more eloquent. I could have been more articulate. Because of the euphoria and rush, things went a little hither-thither, which was never the intention. The branding has not been changed,” she said. She regretted the way in which the statement was delivered and perceived.
- Centre warns exhibitors: The Centre also issued a warning on Wednesday, stating that the exhibitors must not display items that are not theirs. IT Secretary S Krishnan said, "Exhibitors must not display that are not theirs. The warning came against the backdrop of a situation that went haywire after the university's representative claimed that the Chinese robodog and a drone soccer arena as the institution's products.
