What is GPS spoofing that hit Delhi airport and how flight-airport operations are affected

The Union government on Monday acknowledged multiple instances of GPS spoofing near Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), but assured that flight operations remained unaffected. The clarification came after several reports highlighted digital interference affecting aircraft approaching the capital.

What the minister told Parliament

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu informed the House that some flights reported GPS spoofing while using GPS-based landing procedures on Runway 10 at IGIA.

He said, "Some flights reported GPS spoofing in the vicinity of IGIA, New Delhi while using GPS based landing procedures, while approaching on RWY 10. Contingency procedures were used for GPS spoofed flights approaching to RWY 10. There were no effects on movements of flights, on other runway ends having conventional navigational aids being operational."

He added that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had earlier issued an advisory circular in November 2023 to address GNSS interference in airspace. A Standard Operating Procedure for real-time reporting of GPS spoofing or GNSS interference around IGI Airport was also issued on 10 November 2025.

According to him, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has asked the Wireless Monitoring Organization (WMO) to identify the possible source of the interference or spoofing.

What news reports say

NDTV reported that the government has confirmed a cyberattack affecting Delhi Airport and six other airports. It also said that flights approaching Delhi had reported GPS spoofing, with similar instances recorded near airports in Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. 

What is GPS spoofing

GPS spoofing constitutes a sophisticated cyber-malpractice where counterfeit satellite signals are broadcast to fundamentally deceive aircraft GPS receivers. Unlike jamming, which merely blocks signals, spoofing actively feeds the system incorrect coordinates, causing it to compute false position and timing data and misread the aircraft’s true location. This alarming technique undermines the reliability of GPS data, a vital element for navigation.

The impact on major airports, such as Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International, has been severe and immediate. The airport recently experienced unprecedented spoofing incidents, severely disrupting flight operations and causing diversions. This resulted in heavy congestion and delays, ultimately affecting many flights. Pilots received warnings urging them to switch to alternative navigation aids, as the spoofed data generated inaccurate aircraft locations and misleading terrain warnings, posing a tangible safety concern.