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India and Pakistan on January 1, 2026, exchanged lists of their respective nuclear installations and facilities, continuing a confidence-building measure that has been in place for more than three decades despite strained bilateral relations.
The exchange was carried out under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities, signed by both countries on December 31, 1988. The pact, which came into force in January 1991, obligates India and Pakistan to annually share details of nuclear facilities on the first day of every calendar year to prevent accidental or intentional targeting during conflict.
The exchange took place even as relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours remain tense following four days of military hostilities in May last year.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed that the list of nuclear installations was handed over to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad through diplomatic channels. India simultaneously shared its corresponding list with Pakistani officials in New Delhi.
Alongside the nuclear exchange, both countries also shared updated lists of prisoners under the Consular Access Agreement signed on May 21, 2008. According to Pakistan, the list provided to India included 257 Indian nationals, comprising 199 fishermen and 58 civilian prisoners currently held in Pakistani custody.
The agreement requires both countries to exchange prisoner lists twice a year, in January and July, to facilitate consular access and humanitarian considerations.
Officials noted that the continuation of these exchanges reflects adherence to existing bilateral agreements, even amid diplomatic stand-offs, and remains a crucial mechanism for maintaining minimum transparency and reducing risks between the two neighbours.
