Galgotias University responds to controversy, ‘We have not built this Robodog, but we are building minds that will soon do so in Bharat'

Galgotias University on Tuesday issued a clarification after facing criticism for allegedly presenting a Chinese-made robot dog as its own at the ongoing AI summit in Delhi.

The controversy erupted after a video from the India AI Impact Summit went viral on social media.

In the clip, Professor Neha Singh is seen introducing a robotic dog named “Orion,” claiming it was developed by the university’s Centre of Excellence.

She said the robot was capable of performing surveillance and monitoring tasks and that it roamed freely across the university campus.

However, viewers were quick to point out that the robot closely resembled products made by Unitree Robotics, a China-based robotics firm.

The video triggered online backlash, with many accusing the university of misrepresenting the machine as an in-house innovation.

Responding to the criticism, the university released a statement on social media denying that it had claimed to have built the robot dog.

“Galgotias has not built this robodog, neither have we claimed,” the statement read. “But what we are building are minds that will soon design, engineer, and manufacture such technologies right here in Bharat.”

The university said it regularly brings “cutting-edge technologies” from countries such as China, Singapore and the United States to give students practical exposure to global advancements.

It described the recently acquired robot dog from Unitree as part of that effort.

“It is not merely a machine on display — it is a classroom in motion. Our students are experimenting with it, testing its limits, and in the process, expanding their own knowledge,” the statement added.

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— Galgotias University (@GalgotiasGU) February 17, 2026

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What are robodogs?

Unitree Robotics is known for its advanced quadruped robots, referred to as “robodogs”.

These are designed to move like animals while performing tasks such as obstacle navigation, inspection and entertainment.

The company has gained attention for producing more affordable alternatives to similar robots developed by competitors like Boston Dynamics, known for its robotic dog Spot.

Also read: ‘A $250B intelligence ecosystem in motion': Gautam Adani says India will not follow the AI century, but will shape it (startuppedia.in)