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623 GPS Spoofing Incidents Reported Near Delhi in Just Two Months

Airlines reported 623 incidents of GPS interference or spoofing in the Delhi airspace during January and February 2025. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed Parliament that the DGCA has issued an advisory and a real-time reporting SOP to address these threats. GPS spoofing, identified as intentional radio frequency interference, can provide false aircraft position data, creating significant safety risks. While flights using Runway 10 at Delhi airport employed contingency procedures, officials confirm manual air traffic control guidance was often required to mitigate the disruptions.

Key Points: 623 GPS Spoofing Incidents in Delhi Airspace Jan-Feb

  • 623 incidents Jan-Feb 2025
  • DGCA issued advisory & SOP
  • Global issue near conflict zones
  • Manual ATC intervention required
2 min read

Airlines report 623 incidents of GPS spoofing in Delhi airspace during January-February

Airlines reported 623 GPS spoofing incidents near Delhi in two months, posing flight safety risks. Minister Murlidhar Mohol details DGCA's response.

"GPS spoofing causes false navigation data... which poses a danger to flight safety - Pilots & ATC Officials"

New Delhi, March 12

As many as 623 incidents of GPS interference have been reported by airlines around Delhi airspace from January to February this year, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.

The total number of GPS interference reported by airlines in the two-year period from November 2023 to December 2025 is 2,354, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued an Advisory Circular dated November 24, 2023, for addressing Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference in airspace. In addition, it has also issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) dated November 10, 2025, for real-time reporting of GPS Spoofing and GNSS interference events around IGI airport, the minister added.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has apprised Wireless Monitoring Organisation (WMO) from time to time regarding incidents of GPS interference/spoofing for investigation, he said.

GPS spoofing-linked disruptions are a global phenomenon that were observed with increased frequency in geographical areas surrounding conflict zones, the minister added.

Cybersecurity threats to the aviation sector are in the form of ransomware or malware. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) identifies GNSS spoofing as a form of intentional Radio Frequency Interference (RFI).

ICAO GNSS Manual contains the mitigation plan detailing preventive and reactive measures, including frameworks for continuous threat monitoring, risk assessment, and the deployment of mitigation barriers. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has also published advisories to airlines for guidance.

Earlier, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu said that contingency procedures were used for GPS-spoofed flights approaching Runway 10 at Delhi airport. There were no effects on the movements of flights, on other runway ends having conventional navigational aids in operation.

GPS spoofing causes false navigation data, such as incorrect aircraft positions and misleading terrain warnings, which poses a danger to flight safety, according to pilots and air traffic control officials.

Such occurrences have been reported within a 60 nautical mile radius of Delhi. The disruptions often required manual intervention, with air traffic controllers providing direct navigation guidance to the cockpit crew.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Flying to Delhi next week and this news is scary! 😟 The minister says there were no effects on flight movements, but false navigation data sounds dangerous. Thank goodness for the skilled ATCs who can guide manually. Hope the mitigation plans are robust.
A
Aman W
The article mentions this is a global phenomenon near conflict zones. Makes you think. Our agencies need to be several steps ahead in cybersecurity for aviation. Good that India is following ICAO and IATA advisories. Jai Hind!
S
Sarah B
Respectfully, while the procedures are in place, reporting 2,354 incidents over two years is a huge number. The public deserves more transparency on what's causing this spoofing. Is it external actors, technical glitches, or something else? Proactive communication would build more trust.
V
Vikram M
Our pilots and ATCs are the real heroes here, handling these situations with manual intervention. The tech is failing, but human skill is saving the day. Big salute to them! 🙏 We need to invest more in training and backup systems.
K
Karthik V
This is a serious national security issue, not just a technical one. If it can happen near Delhi, it can happen elsewhere. The government must treat this with utmost urgency. The "contingency procedures" are a temporary fix. We need a permanent, technological solution.

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