New Delhi: India and Pakistan upheld a three-decade-long tradition on Monday by exchanging lists of their respective nuclear installations.
This bilateral pact is part of an agreement aimed at preventing attacks on each other's atomic facilities, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The exchange of these lists, under the agreement on the prohibition of attack against nuclear installations and facilities, was conducted simultaneously through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad, as stated by the MEA.
In an official statement, the MEA detailed, "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."
This agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988, and enforced on January 27, 1991, mandates both nations to notify each other about their nuclear installations and facilities covered under the agreement at the beginning of every calendar year, specifically on the first of January.
Notably, this exchange marks the 33rd consecutive year of sharing such lists between India and Pakistan. The inaugural exchange took place on January 1, 1992, making it a consistent annual practice between the two countries.
The exchange of this crucial information occurred against the backdrop of strained relations between the two nations concerning the Kashmir issue and instances of cross-border terrorism. Despite these challenges, both countries have continued the routine exchange of these lists, demonstrating their commitment to adhering to established agreements.