Introduction

India is facing a serious new threat in its skies. Between 2023 and 2025, more than 465 cases of GPS interference and spoofing were reported in the Amritsar and Jammu air corridors. This was officially confirmed in March 2025 by the Ministry of State for Civil Aviation in the Lok Sabha. These incidents are not only affecting commercial flights but also surveillance aircraft, raising major concerns about aviation safety and national security.

This form of attack, seen earlier in regions like West Asia and Eastern Europe, has now started affecting India's western and northeastern borders. Experts believe that countries like Pakistan and China are using GPS spoofing as part of grey-zone warfare—tactics that create confusion and disruption without open conflict.

What is GPS Spoofing and Why It Matters

• GPS spoofing is when fake satellite signals are sent out to trick navigation systems into showing the wrong location, speed, or time. It’s different from jamming, which blocks signals. Spoofing quietly misleads the systems and is harder to detect right away.
• This is dangerous for aircraft, which depend on satellite signals to guide them. These signals are already weak because they come from satellites over 20,000 kilometres away. Stronger fake signals can easily fool an aircraft’s systems like:
  • Flight Management System (FMS)
  • Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS-B/ADS-C)
  • Ground Proximity Warning Systems

If tricked, aircraft might go off course, miss terrain warnings, or send the wrong location to air traffic control.

Global Use of GPS Spoofing
Spoofing is no longer just a theory. It is now being used in real warfare. For example:

• Russia used spoofing tools like Krasukha-4 and Tirada-2 during its war with Ukraine.
• Iran reportedly spoofed a U.S. drone in 2011.
• Azerbaijan used spoofing in its conflict with Armenia to disable air defense and allow drones to dominate.

These examples show how spoofing is now a key part of electronic and asymmetric warfare.

Spoofing in India: Alarming Trends

From November 2023 to February 2025, the number of GPS spoofing incidents in India rose sharply, especially along its sensitive borders. Some important figures:

The fact that many drones were caught in the same regions at the same time suggests a planned strategy. These drones, carrying drugs and weapons, could be using spoofing to hide their paths and confuse radar systems.

The GPSjam portal and OPSGROUP aviation alerts confirm that spoofing in the Delhi Flight Information Region has become a daily issue since 2024, affecting around 10% of flights.

Role of Non-State Actors
It’s not just states like Pakistan and China. Violent non-state groups may also be using spoofing. These include:

• Drug traffickers
• Arms smugglers
• Insurgents

With cheap, easy-to-build spoofing tools using software-defined radios (SDRs) and GPS simulators, even small groups can launch attacks. These spoofers can be:

• Small
• Battery-operated
• Mounted on drones

Such tools can help criminals cross borders undetected or even attack sensitive areas. In cases where terrorist groups get support from countries like Pakistan, spoofing becomes even harder to stop. It creates a hybrid threat—a mix of terrorism, smuggling, and electronic warfare.

Global Recognition of the Threat
At the 14th ICAO Air Navigation Conference in 2024, global aviation experts officially called GNSS interference a “significant cyber risk”. This shows how serious spoofing has become, especially for countries facing border threats or grey-zone tactics.

What India Should Do: To deal with this growing threat, India needs a strong, multi-layered plan. Some key actions include:

1.       Promote Use of NavIC
India's own navigation system, NavIC, offers regional coverage. It should be promoted for use in commercial airlines and military systems. Though not a full GPS replacement, it can be a strong support system.

2.      Deploy Detection Systems
Install ground and airborne sensors to detect spoofing in real time. These use triangulation methods to trace fake signals. India can also use optical gyroscopes and satellite-free systems for safer navigation.

3.      Support Indigenous Technologies
India should invest in affordable NavIC receivers and anti-spoofing tools made in India. This will reduce reliance on foreign hardware—especially from hostile countries like China.

4.     Upgrade Aircraft Safety Systems
Planes should be fitted with Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) and multi-sensor GNSS systems that compare different satellite data for accuracy.

5.     Speed Up GAGAN Adoption
The DGCA already directed aircraft to adopt GAGAN, an Indian Satellite-Based Augmentation System. However, delays remain. These should be addressed quickly by ISRO and the Airports Authority of India.

6.     Use Military Tools Like SAMBHAV
Though SAMBHAV (Secure Army Mobile Bharat Vision) is for military communication, its encrypted tech could help in blocking spoofing. India can expand its role in aviation security.

7.      Crowdsourced Detection Network
Smartphones and civilian devices can be used as part of a crowdsourced GNSS interference alert system. This will improve real-time tracking of spoofing attempts.

8.     Collaborate with Global Partners
India should work with ICAO and nearby countries to share spoofing data and adopt global best practices.

Conclusion
GPS spoofing is a silent but dangerous threat to India’s air safety and national defence. As cases rise near borders, this low-cost but high-impact tactic demands urgent action. With a mix of advanced technology, strict policy, military innovation, and international cooperation, India can protect its skies and set an example in global airspace security. What started as a technical challenge could now push India to modernise its defences and take the lead in making navigation systems more secure.