In New Delhi on December 4, the Parliament was briefed that the Wireless Monitoring Organisation (WMO) has been urged to marshal additional resources to trace the source of the GPS spoofing incidents reported by aircraft. This follow‑up is in response to the approximate location data shared by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed the Lok Sabha, via a written statement, that several flights using GPS‑based approach procedures near Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport had experienced spoofing while heading toward Runway 10. These aircraft were placed on contingency routes as the pilots and air traffic controllers switched to backup navigation aids.
He added that the DGCA had released an advisory circular on 24 November, addressing interference with the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in Indian airspace. In addition, a Standard Operating Procedure dated 10 November was issued to enable real‑time reporting of GPS spoofing or GNSS disruption events around IGI.
The minister further observed that spoofing‑related disruptions are a worldwide issue, with a noticeable uptick in regions proximate to conflict zones. Cybersecurity risks for airlines range from ransomware attacks to malware infections, while the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) classifies GNSS spoofing as a deliberate form of Radio Frequency Interference (RFI).
ICAO’s GNSS Manual lays out a mitigation framework that includes prevention tactics, responsive actions, and ongoing threat monitoring, risk assessment, and the use of protective barriers. IATA has also issued advisories to airlines to provide guidance on how to handle such incidents.
Earlier remarks by Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu reiterated that contingency measures were employed for spoofed aircraft approaching Runway 10, and that there were no adverse impacts on flights operating on other runway ends equipped with conventional navigation aids.
Pilots and air traffic controllers report that aircraft over Delhi have suffered “severe” GPS spoofing over the last month, receiving false position data and ill‑timed terrain warnings that jeopardise flight safety. These events, confined to roughly a 60‑nautical‑mile radius of Delhi, typically required manual correction, with control towers directly guiding crew to safe positions.
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