Meet Param, ‘Powerful’ Made-In-India Robodog Developed By Bengaluru Startup

A Bengaluru-based robotics startup, General Autonomy, has captured the spotlight at the India AI Impact Expo 2026 with its indigenous quadruped robot, Param. Positioned as “India’s most powerful indigenous robot dog,” the device is being hailed as a major milestone for local deep-tech engineering.

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The startup emphasized that Param was built from scratch in India, rather than being a rebranded import. The announcement comes as a sharp contrast to the recent controversy at the same summit, where another institution faced backlash for presenting a Chinese-made robot as its own innovation.

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Param: Built, Not Assembled

Founded in HSR Layout by Farid Ahsan and Bhanu Pratap Singh, General Autonomy spent seven months developing Param. The team drew on their experience building Atom-1, India’s first walking humanoid robot, to accelerate the quadruped’s design.

“Enough of this nonsense! Presenting PARAM… Not assembled, not bought, BUILT IN INDIA, built by INDIANS,” the company stated on X (formerly Twitter). Meanwhile, the startup’s commitment to “hardcore stealth mode” development over the past year has finally culminated in a product capable of navigating complex urban environments autonomously.

Tech Specs: Rugged and Rapid

Param is designed for versatility in hazardous environments. It weighs 35 kg and can carry a payload of up to 20 kg, making it suitable for logistics and surveillance. The robot can reach speeds of 3 meters per second (approx. 11 km/h) and is capable of jumping up to one meter high.

Next, the robot features an 8-hour battery life with hot-swapping capability, a significant advantage over many commercial models that last only 2–4 hours. Its navigation system allows it to climb stairs up to 30 cm, automatically detect obstacles, and recover its balance after a fall. In fact, a viral video showed Param “crab walking” to enter low-clearance spaces during street tests in Bengaluru.

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PM Modi’s “Delhi Winter” Advice

The startup officially exhibited Param to Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month during the National Startup Day 2026 Deep Tech showcase. The Prime Minister, known for his interest in homegrown technology, was reportedly impressed by the robot’s agility and “rugged” design.

Furthermore, PM Modi offered a lighthearted yet practical piece of advice to the founders: “Take care of PARAM in Delhi winters!” This interaction highlighted the government’s focus on the Startup India initiative as it enters its second decade. Therefore, General Autonomy is now positioned as a frontrunner in the nation’s push for sovereign robotics capabilities.

Reality Check

General Autonomy markets Param as “100% indigenous.” Still, while the architecture and assembly are local, high-precision sensors like LiDAR and specialized micro-actuators are often sourced from global supply chains. Therefore, “indigenous” in this context refers to the Intellectual Property (IP) and system integration. In fact, most startups in this space still rely on foreign-made chips for the “brain” of the robot. Thus, the true test of indigeneity will be whether the next iteration uses Indian-designed silicon.

The Loopholes

The startup revealed the project was completed in just 7 months. In fact, building a stable quadruped from scratch usually takes years of R&D. Therefore, the “learnings from the humanoid” loophole was critical; the team likely repurposed existing balancing algorithms from their Atom-1 project. Still, the company’s decision to show the robot “in Bengaluru traffic” serves as a high-stakes proof of concept that bypasses the controlled environment of a lab.

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What This Means for You

If you are a tech enthusiast or working in industrial safety, Param represents a shift toward affordable, local alternatives for hazardous inspections. First, watch for the official commercial launch, which is anticipated for Q2 2026. Then, consider how autonomous quadrupeds could be integrated into public safety or search-and-rescue operations in your local municipality.

Finally, realize that the “Galgotias controversy” has created a high-trust requirement for Indian tech brands. You should expect more startups to release “build-logs” or behind-the-scenes footage to prove their indigenous claims. Before the end of the year, follow the development of Atom-1 to see if General Autonomy can bridge the gap between quadrupeds and full-scale humanoid labor.

What’s Next

General Autonomy will finalize the commercial version of Param by late April 2026. Then, the startup is expected to enter pilot testing with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for firefighting and rescue missions. Finally, a new update for Param’s autonomous navigation suite is scheduled for a public demo in early May.

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