Galgotias University was asked to leave the India AI Expo after backlash over showcasing a Chinese-made Unitree Go2 robot as a product of its Centre of Excellence.
A day after Greater Noida-based Galgotias University drew criticism for presenting a robot dog sourced from China as its own, the government has directed the institution to immediately vacate its booth at the ongoing India AI Expo, being held alongside the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam.
“Galgotias University has been asked to vacate the AI Summit Expo immediately,” a source said.
On the second day of the expo, the university faced widespread backlash after a faculty member showcased a commercially available Chinese-made robot as an innovation developed by the institution. The university later issued a clarification stating it had never claimed to have built the device.
The robot dog, introduced as “Orion,” was described as a product of the university’s Centre of Excellence, and videos of the demonstration were shared on official government social media handles, including that of the Ministry of Electronics and IT.
However, within hours, social media users identified the machine as the Unitree Go2, a quadruped robot made by Chinese company Unitree Robotics and sold commercially for about $1,600. Observers also pointed out that the manufacturer’s branding was still visible on the device. Separately, the university had stated that it had invested more than ₹350 crore in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Within hours, social media users traced the robot to the Unitree Go2, a quadruped developed by Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics and retailing for roughly $1,600. Some users also highlighted that the original manufacturer’s logo remained visible on the device. The university had separately claimed an investment exceeding ₹350 crore in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
“From the United States to China, from Singapore to other global innovation hubs, we have continually introduced advanced technologies to our campus. Why? Because exposure builds vision, and vision builds creators,” the statement said.
The university also clarified that the robot dog had recently been procured from Unitree, describing it as “not just a machine on display, but a moving classroom.”
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