The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in New Delhi on Friday, November 7, 2025, witnessed a technical problem affecting the air traffic control (ATC) system, subsequently disrupting more than 800 flight operations and causing delays across Indian airspace.
According to a Times of India report, Delhi’s IGI airport has witnessed several incidents of GPS spoofing in recent days, contributing to the disruption of air traffic.
What is GPS spoofing?
Data from cybersecurity company McAfee explained that GPS spoofing is the practice where a GPS receiver is manipulated or tricked into sending out false GPS signals.
This improper handling of GPS signals can mislead the GPS receiver into providing inaccurate location data, which can even result in the device’s location information being somewhere it is not present.
“This form of cyberattack undermines the reliability of GPS data, which is vital for a variety of applications, from navigation to time synchronization and more,” the cybersecurity software firm said.
Over the years, GPS spoofing has turned into a menace as malpractices are now used against ongoing operations due to the easy availability of expensive hardware and software capable of sending fake GPS signals.
Delhi airport disruption
On Friday evening, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) announced that the technical problem at the Delhi airport has been resolved, but there will be some delay in resuming normal operations due to the backlog.
However, the disruption to flight activity on Friday worsened due to easterly winds. Several flights had to change approach to the runway to land from the Dwarka side and take off from the Vasant Kunj side, resulting in congestion in Delhi air traffic.
According to a Hindu report, over the past week, airlines flying over Delhi have been experiencing serious incidents of GPS spoofing, leading to the transmission of false navigation data such as inaccurate aircraft positions, misleading terrain warnings, etc.
The news portal also quoted a government official as saying that the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is investigating the incidents.
More than 800 flights were delayed due to a technical glitch at the Delhi airport that affected air traffic control (ATC) systems, news agency PTI reported, citing people with knowledge of the development.
Do ATC systems need an overhaul?
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, in a report issued in August 2025, has called for a time-bound review of India’s automated air traffic control (ATC) systems, News18 reported on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
The report also highlighted that the committee warned that outdated technology poses operational and security problems, especially at high-density airports such as Delhi and Mumbai.
