NEW DELHI: A claim by an Indian professor that a robot dog displayed at a major artificial intelligence summit in the capital was developed by her university has triggered criticism and political debate.
The silver mechanical dog, manufactured by Chinese robotics startup Unitree Robotics, was exhibited at a booth run by Galgotias University during the ongoing AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Professor Neha Singh introduced the robot — referred to as “Orion” — as a product of the university’s innovation ecosystem.
“This has been developed by the centres of excellence at the Galgotias University,” she said, as the robot demonstrated gestures including waving and standing on its hind legs, according to AFP.
The remarks quickly circulated online, with critics pointing out that the robot is a commercially available Unitree model.
Singh also highlighted the institution’s investments in artificial intelligence and described the robot as versatile and interactive, according to AFP.
The remarks quickly drew attention online, with critics pointing out that the robot was a commercially available model produced by Unitree.
University clarification
In a statement posted on the social media platform X, Galgotias University clarified that it had not built the robot. “Let us be clear – Galgotias has not built this robodog, nor have we claimed,” the university said.
It described the “recently acquired” Unitree robot as a “classroom in motion,” adding that students were using it to experiment, test its capabilities, and gain hands-on experience with advanced robotics.
Under scrutiny, Singh acknowledged on Wednesday that her remarks may have been confusing. “Things may not have been expressed clearly. I did not communicate it properly,” said Singh, who teaches communications at the university.
Student Vaidik Mishra defended the institution, saying the controversy had overshadowed its broader goals. “We were so hopeful that this summit would give us a platform to talk about our start-up.
But now it is all about us lying about the robot, which is not even true. It was just a misunderstanding,” he said.
Political reaction
The opposition Indian National Congress criticised the government over the incident, linking it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is hosting nearly 20 world leaders and numerous national delegations at the five-day summit.
In a post on X, the party alleged that “Chinese robots are being displayed as our own,” calling the situation “truly embarrassing for India” and describing it as “brazenly shameless.”
Meanwhile, television journalist Tapas Bhattachary, who conducted the original interview, urged restraint. He emphasised that a single controversy should not overshadow the broader innovation ecosystem.
“If one out of hundreds of exhibitors wasn’t being upfront about their innovation, I would not give up on the entire India’s youth who are very innovative,” he said.
The episode has sparked debate over representation, innovation claims, and transparency at a high-profile international summit aimed at showcasing India’s growing role in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
