India, Pakistan Exchange Nuclear Installations List

Continuing a long-standing confidence-building practice, India and Pakistan on January 1, 2026 exchanged lists of their nuclear installations under a bilateral agreement that prohibits attacks on each other’s atomic facilities. The exchange took place despite strained relations between the two neighbours following four days of military hostilities in May last year.

Background of the Nuclear Installations Pact

The exchange was carried out under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities, signed between India and Pakistan on 31 December 1988. The agreement came into force on 27 January 1991 and mandates both sides to annually inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the pact on the first day of every calendar year.

Details of the Annual Exchange

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the list of nuclear installations and facilities was handed over to the representative of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad through diplomatic channels. India simultaneously shared its list with Pakistani officials in New Delhi, in line with the provisions of the agreement. The practice has been followed uninterruptedly for over three decades.

Exchange of Prisoners’ Lists

Alongside the nuclear installations list, both countries also exchanged lists of prisoners held in each other’s custody under the Consular Access Agreement signed on 21 May 2008. Pakistan shared details of 257 Indian prisoners, including 199 fishermen and 58 other civilians. India, in turn, provided a corresponding list of Pakistani prisoners held in Indian custody.

Imporatnt Facts for Exams

• India–Pakistan nuclear installations agreement was signed in 1988.
• The pact came into force in January 1991.
• Lists are exchanged annually on 1 January.
• Prisoners’ lists are shared twice a year, in January and July.

Significance Amid Strained Bilateral Ties

The latest exchange assumes significance as it reflects adherence to institutionalised confidence-building measures despite frozen bilateral relations. The continued implementation of these agreements underscores their role in reducing risks and maintaining a minimum level of transparency between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.