The modern battlefields of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) now operate as a military conflict which combines human combat with advanced technological warfare. The Indian Army has begun to use autonomous systems for its operations in high-altitude surveillance and logistics. This has created a conflict over these technological advancements just like the battle for control over physical territory. An institutional error at Galgotias University occurred when a Chinese robot was shown as an Indian homegrown product during the 2026 AI Summit. The Indian defense technology sector has developed into a strong and rapidly advancing field which produces authentic “Made-in-India” robotic products. This report assesses Indian robotic quadruped systems while it examines how regional enemies use information warfare techniques and it describes the technical details of autonomous systems which protect India’s borders.
The Galgotias Incident: Analysis of a Public Relations Crisis
The Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi was the venue for the India AI Impact Summit 2026, which demonstrated the capability of India in the development of physical artificial intelligence technologies. There was a significant reputational damage for the domestic academic and research communities because the event became a public relations disaster. The presentation by Galgotias University representatives who demonstrated their quadrupedal robot “Orion” as a product of their Center of Excellence created the main conflict of the event.
The Mechanics of the Blunder
Professor Neha Singh on the state-run broadcaster DD News explained that “Orion” represents a complex engineering achievement which resulted from a ₹350 crore investment in university artificial intelligence infrastructure. The university engineering expertise developed the robot’s three functions, which include surveillance monitoring and interactive features that behave in a “naughty” manner. Digital observers and robotics experts quickly recognized the hardware as Unitree Go2, which Unitree Robotics sells as a quadruped product.
The global robotics community knows Unitree Go2 as a popular platform which academic institutions and consumers use for teaching purposes and entertainment at home. The organizers responded to the identification of the robot as a Chinese-made consumer product by demanding that the university leave its pavilion because they needed to shut down power for their exhibition space. The university issued a formal apology after two of its representatives made false claims which emerged from their lack of knowledge and their excitement about appearing on television.
Exploitation of Institutional Missteps
The “Orion” robot mistake affected all technological systems which were part of the demonstration. The university presented its “Striker V3 ARF” drone as a domestic development but observers identified it as a commercial product from the South Korean firm Helsel which was already developed. The combination of these failures created an opportunity which foreign propaganda and domestic political opponents quickly exploited.
The opposition leaders described the summit as a “disorganized PR spectacle” because they believed that Chinese products presented as Indian innovations damaged the “Make in India” initiative’s credibility. The event gave Chinese state-controlled media a chance to mock India’s technological aspirations. They suggested that India’s defense and AI sectors were merely rebranding Chinese technology to appear innovative.
| Innovation claimed by Galgotias | Identified Origin | Resulting Action |
| “Orion” Quadruped | Unitree Go2 (China) | Eviction from Summit |
| Soccer Drone | Helsel Striker V3 (S. Korea) | Public Backlash |
The Information Warfare Landscape: Decoding Chinese Propaganda
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has long integrated technological displays into its broader psychological operations (PSYOPs). The Galgotias incident provided a “perfect storm” for Chinese media to construct a narrative of Indian incompetence. The Indian Army needs to demonstrate two different types of equipment which exist at academic summits and which the military uses for its actual operations.
The “Robo-Wolf” Narrative
Chinese state media frequently showcases “robo-wolves”—heavily armed quadrupeds equipped with assault rifles—in live-fire drills, such as the Golden Dragon 2024 exercises with Cambodia. The displays show People Liberation Army (PLA) through its mechanized systems which operate without human control, displaying greater military power than all its neighboring countries. Indian universities use propaganda to show their research “pet” robots, which create a “capability gap” that affects Indian stakeholders through its negative impact.
Strategic Misdirection and Technical Reality
The technical requirements of presented equipment become hidden through the use of propaganda. The 70-kg reconnaissance dogs used by the PLA function for only 2 to 4 hours, while their design makes them highly vulnerable to electronic warfare during Himalayan operations, which have complex electromagnetic conditions. Indian forces use ruggedized logistics and high-endurance surveillance equipment because these systems provide essential support during operations at 18000-foot altitudes despite their lower social media appeal.
Regional experts explain that the 2017 AI Development Plan of China uses Huawei and Tencent as private companies to enhance PLA military capabilities The iDEX framework which operates through Innovations for Defence Excellence works to professionalize the startup-to-military pipeline while developing genuine Indian IP as the foundation of national security.
The Real Vanguard: Genuine Made-in-India Robotic Solutions
The Indian Army operated more than 100 units of authentic military-grade robotic mules during the time when the Galgotias blunder received media attention. The platforms collect their technology through several years of research and development from Indian startups and defense laboratories.
Aero Arc and the MULE Program
Aero Arc is a defense technology company from New Delhi which achieves the highest level of success in developing homegrown quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicles (Q-UGVs). The Indian Army placed an order with the company for 100 military-grade MULEs under the fourth emergency procurement tranche in 2023. The Aero Arc MULE which weighs 51 kg operates as a platform that can endure the sub-zero temperatures and low atmospheric conditions found in Eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh territories. The operational formations now possess complete delivery of these units which have reached full integration.
The Aero Arc MULE serves as a small but powerful robotic system which functions effectively in challenging operational conditions. The system weighs 51 kilograms and operates at a maximum speed of 3 meters per second which equals approximately 11 kilometers per hour. It can protect itself against extreme environmental conditions because Aero Arc operates successfully between temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius and 55 degrees Celsius. This enables users to transport items which weigh between 12 kilograms and 15 kilograms for their operational needs. MULE has achieved IP67 certification which provides complete protection against dust and enables it to endure water submersion thus maintaining its functionality in extreme environments.
The MULE provides an exceptional standby time which lasts up to 20 hours thus allowing users to operate the system for extended periods without needing to recharge. The system uses an NVIDIA Xavier compute engine as its main processing unit which delivers strong performance capabilities for its advanced functions and autonomous operations.
The MULE conducts operations which pose danger to human soldiers and require extensive work time because they involve tasks like perimeter security and asset protection and CBRNE material handling.
Zen Technologies and the Prahasta Combat Robot
The company Zen Technologies which operates from Hyderabad has launched ‘Prahasta’ which is an autonomous quadruped built through its partnership with AI Turing Technologies. The domestic combat robot industry achieved its largest technological advancement through Prahasta which introduced capabilities for armed reconnaissance missions beyond basic logistics operations.
The Prahasta platform combines Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology with reinforcement learning methods to create three-dimensional terrain maps which it uses for real-time mapping purposes. This system enables the robot to move through unstructured spaces which include collapsed buildings and dense forests without needing continuous GPS access. The first line of defense system for commandos during counter-insurgency missions requires Prahasta to support small arms which include 9mm and 5.56mm and 7.62mm weapons.
Addverb and the Trakr Logistics Platform
The global robotics company Addverb Technologies which holds backing from Reliance Industries introduced its ‘Trakr’ quadruped robot during July 2024. Trakr offers a solution that matches animal transportation needs in specific mountainous areas through its design which combines two essential features about moving its weight capacity.
Trakr uses 12 actuators to achieve exact movement control and it has four stereo cameras which provide complete 360-degree environmental visibility for its autonomous security patrols at industrial locations and military bases. The system can send live video streams through 4G and 5G networks while its docking station will automatically charge the system after programming initiates the return to its docking station.
Engineering for the Himalayas: Technical Hurdles and Solutions
The unique environmental conditions of the Himalayan region prevent Unitree Go2 to function as a suitable robot for Indian Army operations. Indian startups have had to change key robotic parts to ensure their products function properly in high-altitude locations.
Thermal Management and Battery Physics
At altitudes above 15000 feet, temperatures drop to below -30°C. The standard lithium-ion batteries experience rapid voltage sag and capacity loss when exposed to these conditions. Extreme cold weather causes internal resistance to rise while the operational energy capacity experiences substantial decline. The Aero Arc MULE used by Indian military forces employs active thermal management which uses special heating circuits to maintain battery cells at safe operating temperatures between 10°C and 25°C while external conditions remain below zero.
Navigation in GPS-Denied Environments
The rugged terrain which defines the LAC area creates areas known as “satellite shadows” that prevent accurate GPS signal reception. Electronic warfare units have the ability to disrupt navigation signals through their jamming systems. Indian platforms use Visual SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) and LiDAR technology to address this issue. The robots use advanced visual data processing through NVIDIA Xavier GPUs to detect landmarks and determine their current location based on their starting point without using satellite systems.
Actuation: The Move to High-Torque Electric Motors
The early quadrupedal robots used by Boston Dynamics developed BigDog which operated through loud gasoline-powered hydraulic systems. The Indian Army requires stealth because it operates as a combat element. The current “Made-in-India” quadrupeds operate through high-torque density electric motors together with planetary gearsets. The MULE system achieves a silent acoustic profile which lets it move toward enemy territory while remaining undetected by enemy forces. The Aero Arc platform shows this ability as one of its main system advantages.
The iDEX Ecosystem: Policy as an Engine of Innovation
The growth of these startups exists because of a specific government decision to promote local business development instead of being an effect of market conditions. The Innovations for Defence Excellence program which Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced in 2018 provides financial resources and structural assistance to enable small companies to challenge major defense corporations.
Funding the Future of Defense
The iDEX framework uses the Support for Prototype and Research Kickstart SPARK grant to finance its initial development work. iDEX has established connections with more than 650 startups and MSMEs through its contracting process which has resulted in technology contracts that include swarm drones and robotic quadrupeds.
| iDEX Category | Grant Amount | Focus Area |
| SPARK | Up to ₹1.5 Crore | Early prototype development |
| iDEX Prime | Up to ₹10 Crore | Scaling of critical technologies |
| Open Challenge | Variable | Solving specific operational problems |
The Dubai Airshow 2025 demonstrated this model’s effectiveness when Sagar Defence, an Indian startup, won the “Vista Challenge” for its autonomous systems against international competitors. The global acknowledgement of this achievement refutes the claim that Indian robotics research has fallen behind international developments.
Strategic Deployment: Operation Sindoor and Tri-Service Integration
The Indian military doctrine has developed from its initial “boots on the ground” model into a modern system which uses “human-machine integrated formations”. The approach became clear during Operation Sindoor which served as a practical demonstration of India’s combined military capabilities.
Victory Through Jointness
The 77th Republic Day Parade featured an Operation Sindoor tableau which showcased new technologies that enable better attacks and better operational coordination. The operation used intelligence from multiple sources which included satellite data and drone reconnaissance and ground-based sensors to conduct strikes that resulted in little collateral damage. The system uses robotic quadrupeds to create a final component which enables operators to monitor hidden areas through “eyes and ears” that can reach areas where drones cannot fly.
Reducing the Human Cost of War
The Indian Army uses robotic systems to protect human life while its primary mission remains to defend national territory. The Army uses MULE robots with robotic arms to inspect suspicious objects and Prahasta robots to eliminate militant hideouts which reduces soldier exposure to deadly situations. The “silent soldiers” demonstrate their capability to create resilience in high-risk Himalayan environments where traditional livestock operations fail to survive.
Securing the Supply Chain: The “Trusted Source” Mandate
The Galgotias blunder demonstrates through its first critical lesson that “black box” technology presents danger because it comprises systems with hidden source code and hardware components which may contain hostile elements. The Indian military defense supply chain requires “Trusted Source” mandate to prevent security breaches at military facilities.
Onshoring the Silicon and Software
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) now demands that essential flight control systems and encryption components and testing devices must be produced within India or obtained from approved “trusted nations”. Accord Software & Systems develops indigenous GPS systems and NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) modules to maintain operational capabilities of Indian robotic fleets during global navigation system failures.
The implementation of “systems security engineering” establishes secure command channels through which soldiers can operationalize their robots after their identities receive confirmation and all data transmission remains shielded. This system safeguards against enemy control of autonomous systems and their capability to capture classified visual intelligence forwarded from battle positions.
