Nope. A few inaccuracies in your post. On multiple occasions new hardware has launched with previous software. This same debate happened with iPhone X. Everyone said 11.1. It came with 11.0.3.I still think that the new iPad will come with iOS 11.3 installed. However only time will tell that.
Normally new product is always launched with a new iOS version because the details would be otherwise leaked by looking into the code. Since nobody has found the reference of the new iPad in iOS 11.2.6, it would be safe to assume that it will be launched with iOS 11.3.
iOS 11.3 is not at GM stage. The iPad is coming Friday. At earliest we will see 11.3 is Monday because macOS got a new beta this week. 11 years of Apple history will outline that when one software gets a beta in a week, none get a public release in the same week.
You can think what you want. You have the right. I won’t take that from you. But just know what you are claiming has holes and assumptions.