NEW DELHI — February 18, 2026 — The India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam was supposed to be a celebration of "Made in India" technology. Instead, it has become the center of a massive internet storm. At the heart of the drama is Galgotias University and a four-legged mechanical friend named "Orion."
What Happened at India AI Impact Summit 2026?
The India AI Impact Summit kicked off in Delhi early February 2026, pulling in experts, students, and tech fans. Galgotias University set up a stall to show off their latest projects. Center stage? A four-legged robot called "Orion," zipping around, climbing steps, and even responding to voice commands.
Videos hit social media fast. Professor Neha Singh from Galgotias demoed it live. She explained how students tinkered with its software, making it do tricks like follow paths or avoid bumps. The crowd cheered – it looked like a homegrown win for India's AI push. But sharp-eyed viewers spotted clues: the robot's body had markings matching Unitree Go2, a popular model from China sold for about ₹2-3 lakh.
Rumors flew that Galgotias claimed their team "built" Orion in just 12 days. Posts on X (formerly Twitter) called it out, saying it was no Indian invention. By February 16, the buzz turned to outrage. Why show a foreign buy as your own at an event hyping "Make in India"?
Viral Video Sparks Chinese Robodog Backlash
One clip from the summit went mega-viral. In it, the robodog – Orion – dances, jumps, and scouts a room. Captions screamed "Galgotias Students Build Chinese Robodog in 12 Days!" Netizens dug deeper. They matched the design to Unitree's website: same legs, same battery life (up to 4 hours), same top speed of 5 meters per second.
X exploded with memes and questions. "Proudly Indian or proudly imported?" one post asked. Community notes on X fact-checked claims, pointing out Orion's branding and a slide saying it came from Galgotias' Centre of Excellence. Hashtags like #ChineseRobodog and #GalgotiasExposed trended nationwide.
Sources say organizers even asked Galgotias to pack up their stall mid-event. NDTV reported on February 17 that the university was "thrown out" after complaints. It hurt, especially with PM Modi's recent calls for self-reliant tech.
Galgotias University Issues Quick Clarification
On February 17, Galgotias hit back with a detailed statement on X. "We never claimed to build this robodog," they said. They admitted buying it fresh from Unitree Robotics in China. "It's a classroom tool," the post explained. Students use it to code AI paths, test sensors, and push limits – not to copy the hardware.
Professor Singh spoke to ANI that day. "Its branding is still there. We brought it for kids' research, not to fake anything." The university stressed: this is step one. Tomorrow, their students will design their own from scratch.
But not everyone bought it. An X community note called the statement "misleading." It quoted summit materials naming Orion as "developed by our team." Galgotias doubled down: "Innovation knows no borders. We're building minds, not just machines."
Timeline: Key Updates from Jan to Feb 18, 2026
- Early January 2026: Galgotias orders Unitree Go2 for their AI lab. Students start experiments quietly.
- Feb 14-15: Summit begins. Orion debuts, videos spread.
- Feb 16: First backlash posts appear. News18 covers initial claims.
- Feb 17: University statement drops. NDTV, India Today report live. Professor clarifies to ANI. Stall removal rumors swirl.
- Feb 18 (today): Times of India explains why Galgotias is under fire. No new statements, but online debate rages. Focus shifts to India's robotics gap.
No major Jan events tied directly, but whispers say students prepped Orion code over holidays.
Inside Unitree Go2: The Chinese Robodog Everyone Wants
Unitree Go2 isn't new – launched in 2023, it's a hit worldwide. Picture a dog-sized bot with 360-degree vision from Intel RealSense cameras. It jumps 0.5 meters high, carries 5kg loads, and links to ChatGPT for talks.
Why popular? Affordable (under $3,000), rugged for outdoors, and hackable. In India, it's on Amazon and Flipkart. Galgotias version? They added custom software for summit demos, like obstacle maps.
China leads here – Unitree ships thousands yearly. India? We're catching up with startups like Sastra Robotics or DRDO's work, but student projects often start with imports.
What Galgotias Students Actually Did in 12 Days
Forget "built" hype. Reports clarify: students didn't weld metal. They reprogrammed.
Here's the real story:
- Day 1-3: Unboxed Go2, linked to laptops via WiFi.
- Day 4-7: Coded pathfinding with Python and ROS (Robot Operating System).
- Day 8-10: Trained AI for voice orders, like "sit" or "guard."
- Day 11-12: Tested at campus, fixed bugs for summit shine.
This hands-on work teaches real skills: machine learning, computer vision. One student told local media it's like "teaching a puppy new tricks, but with code."
Why This Chinese Robodog Row Matters for India AI
India dreams big in AI – $1 trillion economy goal by 2030. But we import 80% of robotics parts from China. Events like this spotlight the gap. Critics say: flaunt imports as wins hurts trust. Fans argue: learn fast, then leapfrog.
Galgotias has history here. They've built drone swarms and AI traffic systems. This slip? A lesson in clear labeling.
Government push: Atal Tinkering Labs in schools, IITs racing for quadruped bots. By 2027, expect Indian rivals to Unitree.
Galgotias Pavilion: From Hype to Spotlight
Galgotias rolled into the summit with fanfare. Days earlier, they boasted a massive Rs 350 crore investment in AI labs, data centers, and student training. Their pavilion screamed ambition: interactive screens, VR headsets, and that shiny robodog named Orion taking center stage.
Professor Neha Singh led demos, drawing long lines. ANI cameras rolled as she highlighted Orion's smarts – waving hello, dodging chairs, even chatting back. Press releases called it a "key attraction," tying it to their huge AI budget. Media ate it up, running headlines about India's next big tech leap.
India AI Impact Summit 2026 Key Attendees
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi drew big names from tech, government, and education. Over 10,000 people showed up across five days, mixing top leaders with students and startups. Here's who stood out, based on reports up to February 18.
Government Leaders Present
- Prime Minister's office reps discussed AI for "Viksit Bharat" vision.
- MeitY Secretary joined keynotes on data sovereignty and chip policies.
- Local Delhi ministers toured stalls, praising health AI demos.timesofindia.
Tech Industry Heavyweights
- Google Cloud India head spoke on generative AI tools for SMEs.
- Microsoft Azure leads demoed cloud-robotics integrations.
- Nasscom CEO highlighted job creation through AI skilling programs.
University and Academic Figures
- Galgotias University team, led by Professor Neha Singh, ran the robodog stall.
- IIT Delhi Director gave a talk on quantum-AI fusion.
- IISc Bangalore profs showcased bio-AI research.
Startup Founders and Innovators
- Cosine Robotics CEO presented delivery bots.
- Addverb Technologies team displayed warehouse walkers.
- Kore.ai founder debated voice AI ethics.
International Guests
- Unitree Robotics had no direct stall but their tech sparked chats.
- US AI ethicists from Stanford joined panels.
- Chinese firms sent observers for quiet networking.
Media Personalities Covering Live
- ANI crew filmed Professor Singh's robodog demo.
- NDTV anchors reported live updates on the controversy.
- India Today journalists fact-checked claims on-site.
Student and Youth Groups
- Teams from 50+ colleges competed in AI hackathons.
- Atal Tinkering Lab kids demoed mini-drones.
- Galgotias students handled Orion interactions.
These folks made the event buzz, even amid the robodog drama. Many focused on real progress like rural AI apps.
Authorities on Wednesday asked Galgotias University (Greater Noida) to vacate the AI Impact Summit Expo after it allegedly passed off a Chinese Unitree robodog as its own innovation.
— India Monitor (@MonitorBharat) February 18, 2026
Visuals showed the power to the stall being cut off.#aisummit #galgotias #robodog #technology… pic.twitter.com/KGI0Mx9Lj1
Road Ahead for Galgotias After Robodog Controversy
Galgotias University now faces a chance to turn this mishap into a strength. Their Rs 350 crore AI push remains solid, with labs already training hundreds of students. By owning the lesson – clear labels on demos – they can rebuild trust fast.
Imagine future events: Orion 2.0, fully homegrown, wowing crowds with no questions asked. The university hints at open-source code drops soon, letting others build on their tweaks. That's the real win for India's tech scene.
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