New Delhi, January 1. Taking forward a trend that has been going on for more than three decades, two arch rivals – India and Pakistan – exchanged lists of their nuclear installations under a bilateral agreement on Thursday. The list was exchanged at a time when relations between the two countries are tense following a four-day military clash in May last year.
List handed over to each other through diplomatic channels
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the list was exchanged under the provisions of an agreement prohibiting attacks on nuclear installations. The list was exchanged simultaneously through diplomatic channels between New Delhi and Islamabad. “India and Pakistan today exchanged the list of nuclear installations simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad through diplomatic channels,” the ministry said. The agreement was signed on December 31, 1988, and came into force on January 27, 1991.
35th consecutive exchange of such lists between the two countries
Under the agreement, there is a provision for both the countries to inform each other about their nuclear installations on the first January of every year. “This is the 35th consecutive exchange of such lists between the two countries,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. The first exchange of this list took place on January 1, 1992.
India and Pakistan exchanged lists of prisoners and fishermen in each other’s jails.
India calls upon Pakistan to expedite repatriation of Indian prisoners
In this sequence, India appealed to Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of 167 Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners after the completion of their jail terms. The Ministry of External Affairs said India has asked Pakistan to provide immediate consular access to 35 detained civilian prisoners and fishermen, who are believed to be Indians.
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