GPS Tampering Reported During Landings at Major Airports Including Delhi and Mumbai: Minister

Recent incidents in India have revealed cases of GPS spoofing affecting several flights. GPS spoofing involves sending false GPS signals to a device or vehicle, causing it to display an incorrect location. This can mislead pilots about their actual position during critical phases such as landing.

Multiple Airports Affected

According to Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, these incidents were reported not only at Delhi’s IGI Airport but also at six other major airports across the country, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Amritsar, and Chennai. Pilots faced GPS signal spoofing while attempting to land, raising serious safety concerns.

At Delhi Airport, one of the four runways—Runway 28/10, specifically the Runway-10 side—was affected. Pilots reported that while approaching the runway using the GPS-based landing system, they were shown incorrect locations instead of the actual runway. They immediately informed the Delhi Air Traffic Control (ATC) and, following proper guidance, completed safe landings.

DGCA Issues Guidelines

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating the incidents. Following earlier similar cases, the DGCA had issued directives on 10 November 2025, instructing airlines and pilots to report any GPS spoofing events immediately. The regulator had previously issued advisories in 2023 regarding spoofing and jamming, emphasizing prompt reporting.

Such repeated incidents underscore the growing concern over GPS security and the need for stringent monitoring to ensure aviation safety across India.