IGI Airport becomes target of GPS spoofing hours after Marco Rubio’s arrival: What it means
The threat of GPS spoofing has evolved over time. Now, the availability of inexpensive software and hardware poses risks for industries, governments, and individuals alike.
- May 25, 2026,
- Updated May 25, 2026 11:29 AM IST
Hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in Delhi on Saturday, the Indira Gandhi International Airport became the target of GPS spoofing.
According to a report in Times of India, about 10 to 12 aircraft nearing the airport reported the issue, following which government agencies initiated a probe. Air traffic control immediately increased the spacing between incoming aircraft, the report added, to allow more time for guiding them safely to the airport.
This resulted in congestion and flight delays, the report added. Air traffic controllers said that they switch to pre-GPS days of flying when GPS spoofing happens.
WHAT IS GPS SPOOFING?
GPS spoofing, also known as GPS simulation, is the act of tricking a GPS receiver by broadcasting false signals. This causes the device to show incorrect location data by making it believe it is somewhere it is not. Such cyberattacks affect the reliability of GPS data used for navigation, time synchronisation, and other purposes.
The threat of GPS spoofing has evolved over time. Now, the availability of inexpensive software and hardware that can transmit fake GPS signals poses risks for industries, governments, and individuals alike.
GPS spoofing exploits a weakness in the GPS system related to the weak signal strength of satellite transmissions. GPS satellites send signals to receivers on Earth, which calculate position based on signal timing. Because these signals are weak, they can be overridden by stronger counterfeit signals, causing the receiver to display false location information.
Typically, an attacker studies the target's GPS setup to understand the signals and processing methods. They then broadcast fake GPS signals that mimic genuine ones but are stronger. The receiver accepts these counterfeit signals as real, leading to incorrect location data.
Hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in Delhi on Saturday, the Indira Gandhi International Airport became the target of GPS spoofing.
According to a report in Times of India, about 10 to 12 aircraft nearing the airport reported the issue, following which government agencies initiated a probe. Air traffic control immediately increased the spacing between incoming aircraft, the report added, to allow more time for guiding them safely to the airport.
This resulted in congestion and flight delays, the report added. Air traffic controllers said that they switch to pre-GPS days of flying when GPS spoofing happens.
WHAT IS GPS SPOOFING?
GPS spoofing, also known as GPS simulation, is the act of tricking a GPS receiver by broadcasting false signals. This causes the device to show incorrect location data by making it believe it is somewhere it is not. Such cyberattacks affect the reliability of GPS data used for navigation, time synchronisation, and other purposes.
The threat of GPS spoofing has evolved over time. Now, the availability of inexpensive software and hardware that can transmit fake GPS signals poses risks for industries, governments, and individuals alike.
GPS spoofing exploits a weakness in the GPS system related to the weak signal strength of satellite transmissions. GPS satellites send signals to receivers on Earth, which calculate position based on signal timing. Because these signals are weak, they can be overridden by stronger counterfeit signals, causing the receiver to display false location information.
Typically, an attacker studies the target's GPS setup to understand the signals and processing methods. They then broadcast fake GPS signals that mimic genuine ones but are stronger. The receiver accepts these counterfeit signals as real, leading to incorrect location data.