India and Pakistan share lists of nuclear installations, know under which agreement the exchange takes place

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): On the first day of the New Year, India and Pakistan exchanged lists of their nuclear installations and facilities with each other. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, this exchange was carried out under a bilateral agreement in which both countries commit not to attack each other’s nuclear sites. The lists were simultaneously shared in New Delhi and Islamabad.

This exchange is conducted every year on January 1. This year marked the 35th consecutive exchange of such information between the two countries. The first exchange took place on January 1, 1992. Notably, despite decades of tensions and fluctuations in bilateral relations, this arrangement has never been interrupted.

What is the India–Pakistan nuclear agreement

India and Pakistan signed the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities on December 31, 1988, which came into force on January 27, 1991. Under this agreement, both countries pledge not to damage, destroy, or encourage any action against each other’s nuclear facilities.

The agreement covers nuclear power plants, research reactors, uranium enrichment facilities, nuclear fuel fabrication units, and radioactive material storage sites.

Locations shared every year

As per the agreement, both sides are required to share details of the locations of these nuclear facilities, including latitude and longitude, every year on January 1. The objective is to ensure that during any crisis or conflict, nuclear sites are not targeted either intentionally or by mistake, which could cause massive humanitarian and environmental damage.

Process continued despite conflicts

Experts believe this mechanism plays a key role in confidence-building between two nuclear-armed neighbours. The exchange continued even after major events such as the Kargil conflict, the 2001–02 military standoff, the 2016 Uri attack, and the 2019 Pulwama attack and Balakot airstrikes.

Focus on installations, not nuclear weapons

The agreement applies only to nuclear installations, not to nuclear weapons themselves. It does not restrict the development or deployment of nuclear arms, nor does it include any verification mechanism. Still, the continued adherence to this pact reflects both countries’ recognition of the sensitivity of nuclear infrastructure.

Experts, however, have repeatedly warned that regional instability could pose serious challenges to nuclear safety in South Asia.