Key Takeaways
- Delhi aircraft faced GNSS spoofing with false navigation warnings in November
- Government ordered probe under National Security Advisor Ajit Doval
- Global spoofing incidents grew from 300 to 1,500 flights daily within a year
- Delhi ranks among top 10 global regions for GPS spoofing incidents
Aircraft flying over Delhi encountered manipulated satellite navigation signals in early November, catching pilots unprepared with false terrain warnings and incorrect position data. The government has launched an investigation under National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to address this growing aviation security threat.
What Happened Over Delhi?
Multiple pilots reported GPS spoofing incidents within 60 nautical miles of Delhi airport. An Air India pilot experienced spoofing on all six flights during the first week of November. Cockpit systems displayed false terrain warnings suggesting non-existent obstacles, requiring manual navigation intervention from air traffic controllers.
Unlike typical GNSS jamming during VIP movements, these spoofing events involved transmission of counterfeit signals rather than signal blocking. Crucially, no advance warnings were issued to pilots through NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen).
Understanding GNSS Spoofing
GNSS spoofing involves broadcasting fake satellite signals to deceive navigation receivers. While modern aircraft have redundant systems like Inertial Reference Systems that can operate for up to five hours, spoofing creates serious safety risks by:
- Generating false cockpit alerts
- Reducing pilot situational awareness
- Increasing crew workload during critical phases
- Causing persistent navigation errors even after leaving affected areas
Global Scale of the Problem
The OPS Group’s 2024 report reveals alarming growth in GPS spoofing affecting civil aviation:
- September 2023: First significant impact on civil flights
- January 2024: 300 flights spoofed daily
- August 2024: 1,500 flights spoofed daily
- July-August 2024: 41,000 total spoofing incidents
Delhi ranked among the top 10 affected global regions with 316 spoofing events during the study period. Government data shows 465 GPS interference incidents in border regions between November 2023 and February 2025.
High-Profile Incidents
In September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s aircraft faced GPS disruption near Bulgaria, allegedly from Russian interference. The plane landed safely using paper maps after navigation systems failed.
On December 25, 2024, an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan after reportedly being fired upon by Russian air defense, killing 38 people. Russian President Vladimir Putin later apologized for the incident.
Proposed Solutions
International Air Transport Association (IATA) has proposed a comprehensive approach to combat this “persistent and growing risk to aviation safety”:
- Standardized incident reporting mechanisms
- Enhanced cross-border cooperation and information sharing
- Stricter regulation of jamming device sales and use
- Advanced detection system deployment
- Development of spoofing-resistant GNSS receivers
In India, recurring spoofing near major airports combined with limited transparency has raised serious safety concerns, undermining confidence in aviation system reliability.
