India's AI Summit was reduced to a "school-level science exhibition": Congress leader Gurdeep Singh Sappal

New Delhi [India], February 20 (ANI): Congress leader Gurdeep Singh Sappal on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government over the Galgotias University robodog controversy at the India AI Impact Summit, saying the event meant to showcase India's AI prowess was reduced to a "school-level science exhibition."
Speaking with ANI, he said, "PM Modi's government is very innocent... We had to tell the world that we are ready to rule the world in the age of AI through this summit. You turned it into a school-level science exhibition..."
The university had displayed a Chinese-made robodog, claiming it as their own, but later apologised, stating a representative was "ill-informed."
The incident sparked widespread criticism, with opposition leaders accusing the government of making India look foolish globally. The university's stall was eventually vacated, and the government emphasised that misinformation wouldn't be tolerated.

Earlier on Thursday, BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari praised India's progress in Artificial Intelligence, stating that top AI founders worldwide are backing Prime Minister Narendra Modi due to India's emergence as a top AI destination.
Speaking to ANI, he said, All the top AI founders of the world are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Because everyone knows that today India is one of the top three destinations when it comes to Artificial Intelligence..."Bhandari highlighted the massive participation in India's AI Impact Summit, contrasting it with smaller gatherings in other countries.
"Today, every person believes that India is progressing in every field. In other countries, AI summits used to happen with the participation of a few thousand people. In India, it is happening with the participation of lakhs of people," he said.
The BJP National Spokesperson criticised the Congress party for focusing on a single incident, implying their stance is anti-India."The Congress party is trying to do an illicit generalisation by looking at one incident. This proves that only those who are against India can think like this...," he said.
This comes after the Galgotias University Robodog row. Several Opposition leaders criticised the Union Government over the controversy surrounding Galgotias University, in which they displayed a "Chinese" robodog, and allegedly claimed it to be their own invention at the AI Summit in the national capital.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, earlier today, said that discussions at the CEO Roundtable at the AI Impact Summit were insightful and forward-looking and focused on unlocking opportunities for growth.
In a post on X, he said it was heartening to see a shared commitment to harnessing AI for progress and sustainable development.
"The CEO Roundtable at the AI Impact Summit brought together various stakeholders from the world of AI, technology and innovation. The discussions were insightful and forward-looking, focused on scaling AI responsibly, strengthening global collaboration and unlocking opportunities for growth," he said.
"It was heartening to see a shared commitment to harnessing AI for human progress and sustainable development," he added.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 has indeed drawn global attention, with leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia announcing significant investments in India's AI ecosystem. (ANI)