The pilot spotted the object while he was landing, according to airport sources. The pilot reported the occurrence to the Air Traffic Controller and the airline's director of flight operations and head of corporate and flight safety.
"A drone-like object was reportedly seen flying near the Terminal 3," Sanjay Bhatia, deputy commissioner of police at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, said.
Once police confirmed that the object was not a threat, airport operations resumed normally.
"Operations at all the three runways were closed as a precautionary measure. At about 7.55 p.m., the operations at the three runways resumed normally after clearance from Delhi Police," Bhatia said.
The New Delhi airport is one of the busiest in India with around 1,200 flight movements daily.