A new and alarming chapter in terror tactics may be unfolding in Delhi, following a deadly explosion near the Red Fort and a series of GPS spoofing incidents that hampered flights at IGIA. The proximity of these events, one a devastating ground attack and the other a sophisticated cyber intrusion, has intelligence agencies investigating the possibility of a coordinated hybrid warfare approach, potentially directed by foreign state actors.
The first sign of trouble emerged when numerous airlines reported navigation system failures, including false positional data and incorrect alerts, affecting aircraft within a significant radius of Delhi’s main airport. Aviation regulators are treating these disruptions as deliberate interference, noting similarities to patterns observed along India’s western borders. The DGCA issued an urgent directive for immediate reporting of all spoofing incidents, and a high-level inter-agency committee is now scrutinizing the origins of this electronic disruption.
Shortly after these aviation alerts, a car bomb detonated near the Red Fort, causing widespread destruction, killing at least nine people, and injuring over twenty. The blast occurred after the vehicle had been parked for several hours. Investigators are treating this as a potential suicide mission and have initiated a major anti-terror probe under the NIA, invoking stringent anti-terror laws. The discovery of a large explosives haul in a nearby region just hours before the blast further fuels the suspicion of a meticulously planned, larger operation.
Forensic experts examining the Red Fort blast site have noted the absence of a significant crater or shrapnel, suggesting an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that may have detonated prematurely or improperly. The simultaneous occurrence of these cyber and physical attacks has raised serious concerns about the evolution of terror methodologies. Analysts fear a deliberate strategy where electronic warfare is used to create chaos, potentially diverting attention or disabling surveillance systems during physical assaults. The joint investigation by the NIA, DGCA, and NTRO aims to uncover any connection between the GPS spoofing and the ground attack, assessing whether the cyber element served as a diversion. Delhi remains on high alert as the investigation seeks to unravel this complex and concerning security situation.