NEW DELHI: GPS spoofing, so far seen primarily in West Asia’s conflict zones, is now affecting aircraft in Indian airspace close to the Pakistan border, Parliament was informed on Thursday.
Airlines have reported 465 incidents of GPS interference and spoofing – which impact aircraft navigation systems – in and around Amritsar and Jammu between Nov 2023 and Feb 2025, junior civil aviation minister Murlidhar Mohol told the Lok Sabha.
According to aviation site Skybrary, GPS spoofing is the broadcasting of counterfeit satellite signals to deceive Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, causing them to compute incorrect position, navigation, and timing data. These issues particularly affect the geographical areas surrounding conflict zones like the Black Sea and West Asia, the website adds.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation had issued a circular in Nov 2023 instructing airlines to report cases of such interference. Govt has since taken steps to address the issue, including issuing Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) in areas where GPS disruptions are frequent, the minister said. Additionally, airlines have been following standard operating procedures to manage these challenges, he added.
To counter the threat, International Civil Aviation Organisation and European Union Safety Agency guidelines are being implemented. Govt is also ensuring that ground-based navigation systems remain operational, allowing pilots to switch to alternative methods in case of GPS interference, Mohol said.
Airports Authority of India (AAI), responsible for managing air navigation services, has been continuously upgrading air traffic management systems to enhance safety. DGCA’s Nov 2023 circular outlines a detailed action plan for pilots, aircraft operators, and air traffic controllers to deal with GPS-related disruptions.
Several pilots operating to the West say GPS spoofing and jamming is worsening by the day. “The moment we cross the Iran-Pakistan border, jamming and spoofing start. This continues right till we clear Turkey. The Russian airspace also has this issue, especially closer to the troubled regions,” said a pilot.
Many senior pilots said they inform ATCs on the way when they encounter the problem, and ask them to monitor aircraft position on radar. “We are using the alternative DME-DME update that uses the plane’s last location to keep track of its location,” said a pilot.