'It is essential that a certain code is followed’: MeitY Secy warns as Galgotias University’s Soccer drone claim sparks fresh row

What started as excitement at the Galgotias University AI Summit Showcase has now turned into a series of controversies over whether the technology presented was truly developed in-house.

Galgotias University steps into new dispute with “soccer drone” claim

According to recent reports, a fresh dispute at the Galgotias University AI Summit surrounds a “soccer drone” that was displayed and claimed to have been built in-house.

In a viral video from the Galgotias University AI Summit, a faculty member and representative is seen presenting the drone and speaking about it as an in-house innovation.

Claiming that the university handled “end-to-end engineering”, she remarked that it is building India’s first “drone soccer arena” on campus.

She went on to present this as a proud moment for the institution at the Galgotias University AI Summit.

🚨 EXPOSED again on a global AI stage

Galgotias claimed “Built from scratch”

The drone matches the Striker V3 ARF model

Imported hardware presented as indigenous innovation

India’s credibility isn’t a marketing prop

Innovation demands proof 🎯 pic.twitter.com/7Z8FD0h6SG

— Mr Sharma (@sharma_views) February 18, 2026

Netizens respond

Social media users immediately flooded the post asking to verify the claim.

Netizens pointed out that the drone shown looked similar to the Striker V3 ARF soccer drone, a commercially available model developed by South Korea’s Helsel Group that was reportedly sold in India for around Rs 40,000.

Notably, this is not the first controversy linked to the Galgotias University AI Summit display. Earlier at the same summit, the university was terribly criticised over a robotic dog named “Orion.”

The four-legged robot, claimed to be built by the university’s Centre of Excellence, was identified online as the Unitree Go2, a Chinese-manufactured robotic dog that is widely available for purchase.

University asked to leave space

Amid mounting allegations, the university was directed to vacate its stall space at the AI Summit.

In response to the first robot dog row, the university issued a statement calling it a “propaganda campaign.”

It clarified that the robot was brought in as a teaching and research tool to help students learn AI programming and robotics, and claimed there was no intention to mislead anyone at the Galgotias University AI Summit.

However, the soccer drone episode has reignited a fresh row.

Several social media users accused the university of overstating its innovation claims at the Galgotias University AI Summit.

S Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), while addressing the press at the summit, stated the government does not want any controversy surrounding the exhibits at the Expo, where the university was asked to remove its setup from the exhibition.

“The idea is not to use this as an opportunity in any inappropriate way. We do not want any controversy around the exhibits being presented. It is essential that a certain code is followed. Our intention is never to encourage plagiarism or misinformation. Such practices cannot be supported. We simply do not want any controversy around the exhibits at the Expo,” said Krishnan.

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