In Shorts
- Indigenous robots emerged as key attractions at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi
- The summit faced controversy after a Chinese robotic dog was reportedly presented as local innovation
- Indian robotics startups later impressed global delegates with advanced homegrown solutions
The AI Impact Summit 2026 held at Bharat Mandapam turned into a major showcase of India’s growing strength in robotics and artificial intelligence, even as the global event dealt with an unexpected controversy in its early days.
The summit, which took place from February 16 to February 21 in New Delhi, brought together world leaders, technology executives, researchers and innovators to discuss the future of artificial intelligence and its real world applications. The event was inaugurated by Narendra Modi and marked the first time a Global South nation hosted a summit of this scale focused on AI innovation.
However, the event initially drew criticism after a private institution, Galgotias University, showcased a robotic dog that was later identified online as the commercially available Unitree Go2 developed by Chinese firm Unitree Robotics. The incident quickly went viral on social media, sparking debates around transparency and authenticity in technology demonstrations at global forums.
Authorities subsequently directed the university to vacate its exhibition stall after concerns emerged that the robot had been presented as an indigenous development. The episode briefly overshadowed the summit’s broader objective of highlighting India’s innovation ecosystem and technological progress.
Despite the setback, the spotlight soon shifted to genuinely homegrown robotic solutions developed by Indian startups and research teams. Several domestically manufactured robots demonstrated advanced capabilities in mobility, automation and real time AI integration, drawing attention from international delegates and investors.
Industry experts at the summit noted that scaling domestic robotics production could make Indian products globally competitive, particularly when compared to similar offerings from international markets. The successful demonstrations also underscored India’s ambition to reduce reliance on imported technologies and strengthen its position in the rapidly evolving AI driven robotics sector.
By the end of the summit, indigenous robots had emerged as one of the biggest attractions at the expo, reinforcing confidence in India’s ability to develop cutting edge automation systems and contribute meaningfully to the global artificial intelligence ecosystem.
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