In News:

The recent disruption of flight operations at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, Delhi, due to GPS spoofing, has brought renewed attention to emerging non-traditional threats to civil aviation. Though commonly associated with conflict zones and electronic warfare environments, this incident highlights how cyber–electromagnetic threats can spill over into civilian airspace, raising serious concerns for aviation safety, national security, and technological resilience.

What is Spoofing and GPS Spoofing?

A spoofing attack is a category of cyberattack in which false data is masqueraded as coming from a trusted source to deceive systems or users. Common forms include:

• GPS spoofing
• IP spoofing (often linked with DDoS attacks)
• SMS and Caller ID spoofing

GPS spoofing specifically involves the broadcast of counterfeit satellite navigation signals that imitate genuine Global Positioning System (GPS) signals. Unlike GPS jamming, which simply blocks or degrades signals, spoofing is more dangerous because it feeds incorrect but believable navigation data to receivers.

Since real GPS satellite signals are extremely weak when they reach Earth, a receiver may mistakenly prioritise stronger fake signals, calculating incorrect position, altitude, speed, and timing. The ultimate objective is to induce the target—such as an aircraft—to act on false navigation information.

The IGI Airport Incident: What Happened?

At IGI Airport, spoofed GPS signals corrupted aircraft navigation systems, particularly affecting flights approaching Runway 10/28, a key runway heavily used during winter operations. The spoofing interfered with the Required Navigation Performance (RNP) system, which is a satellite-based precision landing mechanism.

As a result:

• Pilots received incorrect positional data during approach.
• Precision landings using GPS became unreliable.
• Several flights, including those of Air India and Vistara, were diverted.
• Air traffic congestion increased, especially during easterly wind conditions when alternative runways were constrained.

This marked the first known GPS spoofing incident in Delhi’s civilian airspace, making it unusual, as such attacks are typically reported in active conflict or military zones.

Response by Aviation Authorities

Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) and aviation authorities responded swiftly:

• Cautionary alerts were issued to pilots via the ATIS (Airport Terminal Information System).
• Airlines were advised to temporarily suspend RNP-based landings.
• Aircraft were instructed to rely on ground-based navigation aids such as:
  • ILS (Instrument Landing System)
  • VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range)
  • Visual approach procedures
• The installation and commissioning of a new ILS for Runway 10/28 was expedited, with validation trials conducted by airlines like IndiGo.

Indian pilots’ training in fallback navigation methods played a critical role in preventing accidents.

Why GPS Spoofing is Dangerous for Aviation

GPS spoofing poses serious safety risks, especially in civil aviation:

• Incorrect altitude and position data can compromise approach and landing.
• Sudden false deviations may prompt dangerous corrective manoeuvres.
• Errors in timing can affect autopilot systems, collision avoidance, and air traffic coordination.
• Over-reliance on satellite navigation without redundancy can increase vulnerability.

Globally, the threat is rising. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), there were over 4.3 lakh incidents of GPS jamming or spoofing in 2024, a 62% increase compared to 2023, mostly over conflict-prone regions.

Global and Geopolitical Dimension

GPS spoofing is frequently reported in:

• Black Sea region
• West Asia and the Middle East
• Active military or electronic warfare zones

Experts believe the Delhi incident may have been caused by spillover of electronic warfare activities from conflict zones in West Asia. Under certain atmospheric conditions, distorted or spoofed signals can travel up to 2,500 km, affecting regions far removed from the actual source. Similar disruptions have previously impacted civilian flights over Turkey, Russia, and Ukraine.

This underlines a critical reality: modern warfare technologies can have unintended transnational consequences, blurring the line between military and civilian domains.