New Delhi is reeling from two significant security incidents – a fatal car bombing near the Red Fort and widespread GPS spoofing at its international airport – prompting fears of a coordinated ‘hybrid terror’ campaign possibly emanating from Pakistan. The close timing of these attacks, one physical and the other electronic, has intelligence agencies working overtime to uncover any links.
Earlier last week, the national capital’s airspace experienced significant disruptions due to GPS spoofing. Multiple airlines reported critical navigation system failures, including incorrect positional data and erratic terrain alerts, affecting aircraft within a substantial perimeter of IGIA. Aviation officials are investigating this as a deliberate act of interference, potentially originating from across the western border. The DGCA has issued stringent reporting requirements for such incidents, and a multi-agency task force is examining the electronic warfare aspect.
Days later, a car exploded near the Red Fort, resulting in the deaths of nine individuals and injuring over twenty. Investigators believe the blast was a suicide attack involving a vehicle packed with explosives. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken charge of the investigation, which is being conducted under strict anti-terror legislation. The discovery of a large explosives cache in Faridabad shortly before the blast suggests a broader, well-coordinated plot was in motion.
Evidence from the Red Fort blast site indicates it was likely an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that detonated prematurely or was mishandled, as indicated by the lack of a substantial crater or shrapnel. Security analysts are increasingly concerned about the sophisticated use of technology in terror operations. They suggest that Pakistan’s intelligence services may be employing a new ‘hybrid playbook,’ using cyber disruptions to sow confusion and mask physical attacks. The NIA, in conjunction with aviation and technical intelligence bodies, is probing whether the GPS spoofing served as a diversionary tactic for the Red Fort bombing. The capital remains on high alert as authorities race to determine the extent of this potential terror nexus.