GPS Spoofing Disrupts Flight Operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport
Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport experienced severe flight disruptions due to GPS spoofing, where fake satellite signals misled aircraft navigation systems. The incidents caused multiple flight diversions, notably to Jaipur, during a period when the airport's main runway Instrument Landing System was under upgrade, increasing reliance on satellite navigation. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is investigating the security and safety risks posed by these cyberattacks.
GPS spoofing, a form of electronic warfare involving the transmission of counterfeit satellite signals, affected air traffic at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) beginning roughly 60 nautical miles from the airport. This manipulation caused aircraft navigation systems to receive incorrect location, altitude, and timing data, resulting in severe disruptions, flight diversions, and congestion. Over seven flights, including those operated by IndiGo and Air India, were forced to divert to Jaipur during an event causing the airport to rank second worldwide for disruptions that night. The problem was exacerbated by the main runway 10/28 undergoing Instrument Landing System (ILS) upgrades, leaving pilots to depend on GPS-based Required Navigation Performance (RNP) systems, which spoofing attacks target. Such spoofing differs from GPS jamming as it deceives navigation receivers with false data rather than blocking signals altogether. These attacks raise serious concerns about aviation safety and national security given Delhi's strategic airspace. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is collecting comprehensive data and may involve security agencies for countermeasures. Authorities are working to restore ground-based navigation aids and plan to implement multilayered systems to detect and mitigate GPS signal anomalies to protect civilian and commercial aviation from similar future cyber threats.
