Galgotias University plays victim card, claims ‘negative propaganda’ after Chinese robot dog fiasco: Read how they are lying

On the intervening night of 17 February and 18 February, Galgotias University played the victim card, claiming a “negative propaganda campaign” against it after facing backlash over showcasing a Chinese robot dog as part of its AI ecosystem at the AI Impact Summit 2026. However, its own earlier statements, a now-deleted DD India video, and a press release distributed by the university via NewsVoir tell a very different story. pic.twitter.com/0h8GNo4lTD— Galgotias University (@GalgotiasGU) February 17, 2026 The ‘negative propaganda’ post and sudden denial In its latest press release, the university stated, “We at Galgotias, faculty and students, are deeply pained by the propaganda campaign against our university.” It claimed that the robotic programming initiative was simply about giving students exposure to AI using “globally available tools and resources” and warned that “spreading negativity can harm the morale of students”. In an earlier clarification issued the same evening, Galgotias asserted, “Let us be clear Galgotias has not built this robodog, neither have we claimed.” It described the Unitree robodog as a learning tool and insisted that the university never presented it as an indigenous development. pic.twitter.com/cgBbhld876— Galgotias University (@GalgotiasGU) February 17, 2026 The university claimed that it never “claimed” to have built the robodog. The problem is that the public record says otherwise. What DD India showed before deleting the video In a now-deleted DD India video from the AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, Professor Neha Singh of Galgotias University was seen stating that the robotic dog was developed by the “Centre of Excellence” at the university. A clip of the deleted video is being widely shared on social media. The original clip was aired and widely circulated before it was quietly deleted. The presentation at the summit projected the robodog not merely as a purchased device, but as part of the university’s own development ecosystem. Rs 350 crore AI ecosystem and the ORION rebranding Interestingly, the university’s own press release, distributed by NewsVoir, adds to the contradiction. Under the headline, “Galgotias University Pavilion Emerges as a Key Attraction at AI Impact Summit 2026 with Rs. 350+ Crore AI Showcase”, the university claimed to have presented a “comprehensive Rs. 350+ crore Artificial Intelligence ecosystem”. Galgotias University Pavilion Emerges As A Key Attraction At AI Impact Summit 2026 pic.twitter.com/nOYU56neFl— Galgotias University (@GalgotiasGU) February 16, 2026 A “major crowd puller” at the pavilion, the release said, was ORION, Operational Robotic Intelligence Node, which “interacted live with delegates and demonstrated applied robotics and intelligent systems integration”. The Chinese Unitree robodog was thus rebranded as ORION and showcased as part of the university’s AI driven Centres of Excellence and infrastructure. What makes the situation worse is that the Unitree branding was reportedly still visible on the robot. In other words, the product was renamed without even removing the original manufacturer’s markings. Government handles amplified the claim The controversy escalated further when government social media handles shared videos that included the robodog. The amplification by government social media handles lent official weight to the impression that an Indian university had developed an advanced robotic platform as part of its Rs. 350+ crore AI investment push. #WATCH | इंडिया एआई इम्पैक्ट समिट 2026 में Galgotias University ने £33 मिलियन का AI इकोसिस्टम प्रस्तुत कियाOrion रोबोटिक डॉग, iOS ऐप्स और 3D प्रिंटेड ड्रोन ने सभी का ध्यान खींचा DD News ने AI डॉग का लाइव प्रदर्शन भी दिखाया#IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIForAll #GlobalInnovation pic.twitter.com/1Kca6Hu5uU— Ministry of Electronics & IT (@GoI_MeitY) February 17, 2026 Playing innocent after projection There is no disputing the fact that universities import global technologies for learning. Galgotias itself wrote that “innovation knows no borders” and that students must be exposed to cutting edge tools. However, the issue is not procurement but projection. At a major international summit, the robot was renamed ORION, showcased under a Rs. 350+ crore AI ecosystem banner, attributed to a Centre of Excellence, amplified by national media, and circulated by government handles. After that, to call criticism “negative propaganda” and claim that no such assertion was ever made stretches credibility. The drone soccer Another claim that Galgotias University’s professor Neha Singh made while talking to DD News was about drone soccer. It is basically a drone fitted inside a ball. She claimed, “From its end to end engineering to its application, everything has happened at the university. And this is India’s first drone soccer arena which you will get to see on the Galgotias campus. Here, students play games