Seven Major Indian Airports Hit by Cyber Attacks; Government Confirms GPS Spoofing at IGI, Mumbai, Bengaluru

The central government has officially confirmed that seven major airports across India were targeted by cyber attacks, raising serious concerns over aviation cybersecurity and prompting heightened vigilance at key air travel hubs. The confirmation followed multiple reports of technical anomalies, including suspected spoofing of navigational systems, detected at some of the busiest airports in the country.

Seven Major Indian Airports Hit by Cyber Attacks Including Delhi IGI, Kempegowda Airport and Others

According to the government official, these cyber incidents were linked to unauthorised manipulation attempts involving aircraft navigation systems, which initially triggered alarms over potential risks to flight safety. Technical disruptions were especially noted in GPS-based landing procedures, making the issue a matter of national security and operational concern.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, addressing Parliament, disclosed that flights approaching several major airports reported GPS spoofing, particularly during landings at Runway 10 of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

He confirmed that the cyberattacks targeted airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, among others, making it one of the most widespread aviation cybersecurity breaches reported in India.

GPS Spoofing Confirmed, No Flight Disruptions Reported

Officials explained that attackers attempted to exploit GPS vulnerabilities by emitting false signals that interfered with the aircrafts' navigation systems. GPS spoofing can mislead aircraft about their real-time position, altitude and orientation, resulting in potential safety hazards during critical phases such as landing.

Despite the severity of the threat, the government assured that no flight was delayed or cancelled due to the cyber attack. Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems continued functioning normally, supported by contingency procedures designed to handle navigational anomalies. This ensured that flight schedules, passenger safety and airport operations remained unaffected.

Recent Technical Glitch at Delhi Airport Added to Concerns

The confirmation of cyber attacks comes just weeks after a major technical issue at Delhi Airport, which initially sparked fears of another cyber incident. Investigations later revealed that the problem was caused by a fault in the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS) rather than hacking.

Around the same time, a global software bug affecting Airbus A320 aircraft-widely used by Indian airlines-led to nearly 388 flight disruptions as carriers rushed to update software before restoring normal operations.

The widespread use of A320 aircraft in domestic aviation highlighted how even minor technical or cybersecurity-related disruptions can create ripple effects across India's flight network, affecting operations, passenger movement and airline schedules.