The Bharat AI Impact Summit 2026 turned into a hall of shame for Galgotias University after they passed off a Chinese robot dog as an indigenous marvel. In their expo pavilion, a communications professor named Neha Singh gushed in an interview about the ‘Orion’ robotic dog, crediting their Center of Excellence. Netizens swiftly debunked it as Unitree’s Go2 model—a ready-made product from China priced at 2-3 lakhs in India—igniting widespread fury over faked Indian AI progress.
Facing the music, the university apologized via press release, blaming an unauthorized, misinformed rep’s camera excitement. They vacated the stall at organizers’ behest and doubled down on their ethos of transparency and integrity, denying any orchestrated ploy. Yet, the stain persists.
Jammu and Kashmir’s Omar Abdullah seized the moment with a pointed X post, skewering Galgotias for fostering a culture of imitation, evasion, and blame-shifting. ‘Lucky me, no such education came my way,’ he declared, resonating with critics slamming the episode as educational malpractice. This scandal spotlights vulnerabilities in India’s tech narrative. With AI as a national priority, such deceptions could derail investor confidence and genuine R&D. Galgotias aims to rebuild trust through reforms, but rebuilding credibility post-viral humiliation demands more than statements—real accountability is key.