Delhi Airport Flights Delayed Due to GPS Spoofing: Over 100 Flights Affected by Technical Glitch

New Delhi, India:
Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport were severely affected on Thursday as over 100 flights faced delays due to a major technical glitch in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system.

According to the Airport Authority of India (AAI), the problem originated from the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), which supports the data network used by ATC. Controllers are currently handling flight operations manually, leading to significant delays in departures and arrivals.

While the AAI attributed the delay to the technical issue, reports suggest that GPS spoofing may have also played a role in the disruption. GPS spoofing occurs when fake satellite signals are transmitted to deceive navigation systems, causing them to display false position or altitude readings.

In simple terms, GPS spoofing makes a navigation system believe, “I am somewhere I’m not.” This can lead to route deviations and serious safety risks, especially during critical phases like landing or approach.

Experts noted that fake GPS signals are often stronger than authentic ones, misleading aircraft systems into miscalculating their exact location. In extreme cases, an aircraft over Delhi could appear to be flying over Nepal on its cockpit display.

Air India and several other airlines have advised passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport. Air India posted on X (Twitter):

“Due to a technical issue in the ATC system at Delhi, flight operations across all airlines are affected. We regret the inconvenience and appreciate your patience.”

Authorities are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible, while additional technical teams have been deployed to restore full functionality of the ATC network.