India, Pakistan exchange lists of nuclear facilities not to be attacked

Continuing with an over three-decade practice, India and Pakistan on Monday exchanged a list of their nuclear installations under a bilateral pact that prohibits the two sides from attacking each other's atomic facilities.

The exchange of the list took place under the provisions of an agreement on the prohibition of attack against nuclear installations and facilities, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

It was done simultaneously through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad.

"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 signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991. It mandates the two countries to inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the agreement on the first of January of every calendar year.

The exchange of the list came amid frosty ties between the two countries over the Kashmir issue as well as cross-border terrorism.

"This is the 33rd consecutive exchange of such lists between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 1, 1992," the MEA said in a statement.