By Atul Luthra, Co-Founder & Principal Consultant at 5Tattva and CEO, Zeroday Ops
When reports surfaced of suspected GPS spoofing disrupting flight operations at Delhi’s IGI Airport, it signalled something far bigger than an isolated aviation anomaly. It exposed a growing reality we’ve long anticipated in the cybersecurity community—digital manipulation techniques have evolved enough to interfere with physical systems that millions depend on every day. The ability to mislead navigation signals at scale shows how attackers are no longer confined to the boundaries of traditional IT networks; they now have the tools and intent to compromise national infrastructure.
The problem: Fragile signals in a connected world
GPS spoofing occurs when an attacker transmits fake satellite signals to mislead GPS receivers about their real position or time. In a controlled lab experiment, even limited-power equipment successfully injected counterfeit signals, making devices detect more satellites than actually existed—an indication of successful spoofing. While this may sound like a niche attack, GPS lies at the heart of almost everything we depend on today.
Aircraft use GPS for navigation; vehicles rely on it for routing, ADAS functions, and connected services; smartphones depend on it for maps, delivery tracking, ride-hailing, and countless everyday applications. Critical infrastructure such as telecom networks, energy grids, and financial systems depend on GPS-based timing. When these signals are tampered with, the consequences can range from misrouted aircraft to disrupted logistics networks and large-scale infrastructure breakdowns.
The alarming part is that today’s cars are no longer mechanical machines—they are connected systems integrating sensors, Bluetooth, ADAS, cloud connectivity, and autonomous features. If spoofed GPS signals can mislead an aircraft, the same threat looms large over connected vehicles. A manipulated signal could alter navigation routes, disrupt lane-keeping systems, affect speed-limit data, or confuse semi-autonomous functions. In extreme cases, compromised signals could turn regular roads into digital battlegrounds where attackers cause real-world chaos without being physically present.
The solution: Building multi-layered, resilient navigation security
To address this growing threat, the world needs to rethink how navigation systems are secured. The first line of defence is adopting advanced GNSS receivers equipped with anti-spoofing capabilities that can detect irregular satellite patterns, inconsistent pseudoranges, and abnormal signal strengths. Vehicles and aircraft must transition from single-system GPS dependence to multi-GNSS frameworks, integrating NavIC, Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou to reduce reliance on any single constellation.
Sensor fusion is another critical step. Just as aviation uses DME/DME and inertial systems as backups, vehicles must employ IMUs, cameras, radar, LiDAR, and visual odometry to cross-verify location data. This allows systems to identify anomalies and switch to alternative navigation methods when spoofing is detected.
At the policy level, countries must regulate high-powered RF equipment capable of broadcasting spoofed signals. Public-private collaboration is essential to identify vulnerabilities early and establish rapid response frameworks. Automakers, cybersecurity firms, and regulators need to integrate navigation security into broader national cybersecurity strategies, treating mobility infrastructure as critically as power grids and telecom networks.
Conclusion: Securing mobility is securing the nation
The IGI Airport incident is not an isolated glitch—it is a warning. As India accelerates toward connected mobility, EVs, ADAS, and autonomous transportation, the attack surface will only grow. GPS spoofing has shown that digital attacks can spill into physical systems, threatening safety, disrupting operations, and undermining national security.
The message is clear: securing navigation systems is no longer optional. It is a national priority. In an increasingly connected world, protecting mobility is just as important as protecting borders. The sooner we act, the safer our skies and roads will be.