Govt flags GPS spoofing at airports, widens nationwide interference monitoring: Heres what Minister reveals

New Delhi: India's crucial air navigation systems are facing an unseen enemy, i.e, GPS spoofing. The Union Government has officially acknowledged incidents of manipulated GPS signals near the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), triggering an urgent, multi-agency investigation and activating contingency plans across the aviation sector.

The revelation, made by Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu in the Rajya Sabha during the Winter Session of Parliament, highlights a growing threat to global satellite-based navigation.

Minister Naidu informed the House that a specific aircraft encountered "spoofed" GPS signals while attempting satellite-based landing procedures on IGIA's Runway 10. Crucially, he reassured lawmakers and the public that these incidents had no impact on actual flight operations. This was primarily due to other runways being supported by robust, conventional ground-based navigational aids, which remained fully operational and unaffected.

In response to these sophisticated attacks, India's aviation regulators have intensified their defensive measures. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had previously issued an advisory circular, guiding airlines and operators on detecting and mitigating GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) interference.

Taking a significant step forward, the DGCA introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on November 10, 2025. The SoP was specifically for the real-time reporting of GPS spoofing and GNSS interference events, with a particular focus on the critical airspace surrounding IGI Airport.

Meanwhile, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has enlisted the expertise of the Wireless Monitoring Organisation (WMO). Following a high-level review, the WMO has been directed to deploy additional resources to triangulate and pinpoint the source of these malicious spoofing signals, leveraging data shared by both the DGCA and AAI.

Alarmingly, the problem isn't confined to the capital. Minister Naidu disclosed that similar GPS spoofing and jamming incidents have been reported at multiple major airports across India over the past three years. Since the DGCA mandated rigorous reporting in November 2023, consistent GNSS interference alerts have been received from major hubs, including Kolkata, Amritsar, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai, indicating a systemic challenge.

To bolster its operational resilience against such threats, India maintains a "Minimum Operating Network (MON)." This conventional, ground-based navigational infrastructure serves as a vital backup, aligning with global best practices and ensuring capabilities remain intact even when satellite signals are compromised.

Beyond navigation, the government also acknowledged the escalating global cybersecurity risks, with airports increasingly becoming targets for ransomware and malware attacks. In response, the AAI is actively deploying advanced cybersecurity solutions across its networks.

These measures are being meticulously aligned with the stringent protocols established by NCIIPC (National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre) and CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team), India’s apex cyber-incident response body. Cyber-defence systems are also undergoing continuous upgrades to counter the ever-evolving threat landscape.

Furthermore, India is not acting in isolation. The nation is actively participating in international aviation forums, collaborating with global partners to track the latest methodologies employed in GNSS interference and to integrate the best global practices into its domestic defence strategies, ensuring its skies remain safe and secure.