The Indian government revealed on Thursday that 1,951 incidents of GPS spoofing and interference with aircraft were reported at various airports across the country over the past two years. The disclosure was made in a written reply to the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, highlighting the increasing challenge posed to aviation navigation systems.
The Ministry clarified that GPS interference reporting began following a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) advisory circular issued on November 24, 2023, concerning GNSS interference in Indian airspace. Airports affected include major hubs such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Amritsar, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Chennai, indicating that both international and domestic operations are potentially vulnerable to signal manipulation.
Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) spoofing involves attempts to deceive navigation systems by transmitting false signals, potentially causing aircraft to deviate from intended flight paths. Such incidents are categorised under International Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), and are being investigated in collaboration with the Wireless Monitoring Organisation (WMO).
Also Read: IndiGo Under 24/7 DGCA Monitoring Following Thousands of Flight Cancellations; CEO Summoned
The DGCA has developed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for real-time reporting of GPS spoofing and GNSS interference events, first implemented around Delhi airport on November 10. The SOP aims to ensure rapid identification, assessment, and response to any interference event, enabling authorities to safeguard aircraft operations and passenger safety.
ICAO’s GNSS Manual further outlines mitigation strategies, including preventive measures, reactive frameworks, continuous threat monitoring, and risk assessment protocols. Authorities emphasise that these measures are critical to protecting aviation infrastructure from the growing threats posed by signal manipulation and technological interference in Indian airspace.
Also Read: IndiGo Executives Given Until Monday to Respond to Show-Cause Notices