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Rising laser strikes near airports test India's aviation safety system
Mint Bangalore
|March 25, 2026
Pilots flying a Cathay Pacific flight into Delhi earlier this year reported being briefly blinded by high-intensity laser beams during the final approach, underscoring a rise in such incidents that threaten aviation safety at a time of booming air travel.
India saw 500 laser strikes near airports in 2025.
(ISTOCKPHOTO)
The crew of flight CX695 from Hong Kong flagged the episode after landing safely at Indira Gandhi International Airport in February, saying the glare impaired their ability to read cockpit instruments at a critical stage. A safety report was filed with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the matter was later raised in Parliament.
This story is from the March 25, 2026 edition of Mint Bangalore.
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