India Issues Addendum to GNSS Spoofing Reporting SOP

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has published an addendum clarifying reporting procedures for suspected GNSS spoofing put in place on November 10 following a week of disruptions consistent with GPS interference around Delhi. 

According to OpsGroup contributor Chris Shieff, the disruptions produced false EGPWS alerts, position errors, and incorrect altitude indications that crews described as consistent with spoofing. The interference affected hundreds of flights and briefly drove ADS-B integrity in the Delhi terminal area to zero, leaving controllers unable to rely on GPS-based surveillance. The timing also coincided with the temporary withdrawal of ILS procedures for Runway 10/28 at Indira Gandhi International Airport (VIDP), increasing reliance on RNAV guidance.

DGCA first published guidance on GNSS-interference reporting in a 2023 advisory circular. Its November 10 document created a new standard operating procedure requiring crews to report spoofing events within 10 minutes. After pilots flagged ambiguities, DGCA released an addendum to clarify required actions for both pilots and operators.

If interference is detected before top of descent, pilots must advise ATC as soon as possible and notify the operator’s responsible manager by any means available. The post holder must then alert DGCA immediately using the required reporting form. If the issue is found after top of descent or only after landing, the pilot reports it post-flight, and the responsible manager still files the form with DGCA.

OpsGroup noted that GPSwise continues to show intermittent but recurring interference northwest of Delhi, and that crews transiting the area should be prepared to cross-check navigation and revert to conventional procedures when necessary.