India, Pakistan Exchange Lists Of Nuclear Installations That Can’t Be Attacked While In Hostilities (Photo on X Rahul Easwar @RahulEaswar)

The exchange of lists of nuclear installations between India and Pakistan on Monday marks the 33rd consecutive exchange of lists between the two countries. The first such event of an exchange of the lists took place on January 1, 1992. The exchange of such lists of nuclear installations signifies that these facilities cannot be attacked in times of hostilities. The three decades of practices by the two countries, and a bilateral pact prevent two sides from attacking their nuclear sites. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the exchange of lists happened under the provision of an agreement on the prohibition of attacks against nuclear installations and facilities.

“India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the list of nuclear installations and facilities, covered under the agreement on the prohibition of attack against nuclear installations and facilities between India and Pakistan,” the MEA said.

The agreement was made through a diplomatic channel in New Delhi and Islamabad, and signed on January 1 (Monday). It was on December 31 1988 that such an agreement was signed, and the agreement came into force on January 27, 1991. It also requires the two countries to tell their nuclear installations and facility sites to be covered under the deal on the first of every year January first. However, the increased bilateral tensions following the Kashmir issue and the cross-border issues have affected the three-decade-long practice.

However, India and Pakistan have not maintained sustained talks or a formal relationship since the 2008 Mumbai terror attack committed by the Pakistan-based terror group, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). However, the political leadership from both sides have been trying to resume the formal relationship, though detailed many times by several factors.