Context: India and Pakistan exchanged lists of nuclear installations and facilities through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad, as per their Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities.
- This is the 34th consecutive exchange of such lists between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 1, 1992.
About the India-Pakistan Non-Attack Agreement (NAA)
- It was signed on December 31, 1988 and entered into force on January 27, 1991, amid tense relations between the two nations due to cross-border terrorism and the Kashmir dispute.
- It is a unique bilateral pact that broadens the scope of Articles 56 and 15 of the first and second protocols to the Geneva Convention.
Provisions
- The agreement prevents both countries from taking or supporting any actions that could destroy or damage each other’s nuclear installations or facilities.
- The agreement defines nuclear installations and requires each country to share the exact locations (latitude and longitude) by January 1st of each year and whenever there are changes.
- The agreement does not provide for detailed disclosures of nuclear-related activities.
- The agreement defines protected nuclear installations as power and research reactors, fuel fabrication, uranium enrichment, isotope separation, reprocessing facilities and any sites with nuclear fuel or materials, including those storing large amounts of radioactive materials.
- The Agreement requires both countries to exchange annual lists of nuclear facilities and pledges not to attack them.
- However, the definition of nuclear facilities declared are unclear and there are no compliance measures in the Agreement.