GPS Spoofing Incidents Over Delhi

Aircraft flying over Delhi have recently faced severe GPS spoofing, leading to incorrect navigation data and misleading terrain warnings. This has posed significant challenges for pilots and air traffic controllers.

Incident Overview

• GPS spoofing events have been reported within a 60-nautical-mile radius of Delhi.
• Manual intervention by air traffic controllers has been necessary to provide navigation guidance.
• Pilots encountered false terrain warnings both during approach and takeoff at Delhi airport, leading to flight delays.

Government and Industry Response

• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating these incidents.
• A meeting between the Ministry of Civil Aviation and DGCA officials has been conducted to address the issue.
• There was no advisory for military exercises requiring caution in the vicinity.

Global Context and Statistics

• GPS spoofing incidents are not uncommon near India’s borders with Pakistan and Myanmar.
• Between November 2023 and February 2025, 465 GPS interference events were reported in India’s border regions.
• From 2021 to 2024, GPS signal loss cases increased by 220% globally.
• Frequent hotspots include western Russia and northern Iraq.

Safety Measures and Recommendations

• Aircraft systems have redundancies like the Inertial Reference System to ensure safety despite GPS spoofing.
• Pilots are alerted to spoofing through system messages, performance degradation, and cross-referencing with other information sources like NOTAMs and ATC.
• IATA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency advocate a four-pronged strategy to mitigate GPS interference risks, including enhanced reporting and development of technical solutions.