'Sovereign Model' Or Imported Robot? Galgotias University Under Fire For Showcasing Chinese Robodog As ‘Orion’ At AI Summit

Galgotias University has come under intense scrutiny after presenting a robotic dog, originally manufactured by Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics, at a recent AI Summit and referring to it as “Orion.”

The robotic dog is identified as the Unitree Go2, an AI-powered quadruped robot available commercially in the global market. During the summit, the university showcased the robot as part of its multi-crore AI ecosystem.

The presentation gained wider attention after Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw featured a clip of the robotic dog in his AI Summit compilation video titled India’s “Sovereign Models.”

The branding of the robot as “Orion” led many viewers to believe it was an indigenous innovation developed under the university’s reported ₹350-crore AI initiative.

Viral Backlash Over ‘Made In India’ Claims

Soon after the summit, social media users began circulating side-by-side comparisons of “Orion” and the commercially available Unitree Go2. Critics alleged that the university had misrepresented an imported product priced approximately between ₹2–3 lakh as an original, Made-in-India innovation.

The controversy triggered broader criticism regarding academic oversight. Some users also resurfaced a 2020 research paper linked to the institution that controversially claimed sound vibrations could kill COVID-19, questioning the university’s credibility.

Many argued that presenting a rebranded imported product as a domestic breakthrough could damage national credibility, particularly in discussions surrounding India’s sovereign AI ambitions.

University Issues Clarification

Following the backlash, Galgotias University issued a clarification denying that it had developed or built the robotic dog. The institution stated that it never claimed the robot was its own creation or an indigenous product.

According to the university, the Unitree Go2 was recently purchased from Unitree Robotics and is being used strictly as a learning and demonstration tool. It described the robot as “a classroom in motion,” intended to provide students with hands-on exposure to advanced robotics and artificial intelligence technologies.

Fact-Check Raises Further Questions

However, the clarification itself was later challenged by an X Community Note. The note claimed that the university’s assertion that it never presented the robot as its own development was “incorrect and misleading.”

According to the community note, the robot had been renamed “Orion” and was explicitly described as developed by the university’s team during the summit presentation.

Amid the backlash and subsequent clarifications, a China-focused account posted the now-viral claim by the university. The post read “An Indian university presents the Chinese robot Unitree Go2 as its own innovation at the AI Summit in Delhi.”

The controversy has since fueled debate over transparency in academic showcases, particularly when imported technologies are rebranded within narratives of indigenous innovation.