Key Points:
- India and Pakistan completed their 35th annual exchange of nuclear installation lists on January 1, 2026
- The exchange occurs under a 1988 agreement that prohibits attacks on nuclear facilities
- Relations remain strained after the April 2025 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians
- India launched Operation Sindoor in May 2025 targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK
- A ceasefire was agreed upon on May 10, 2025, but tensions persist with warnings of potential 2026 conflict
India and Pakistan exchanged their respective lists of nuclear installations and facilities on Thursday, January 1, 2026, continuing a diplomatic tradition that has persisted for over three decades despite severely strained bilateral relations. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the simultaneous exchange occurred through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities.
This marked the 35th consecutive exchange since the practice began, not the 35th year as commonly misreported. The bilateral agreement was signed on December 31, 1988, and entered into force on January 27, 1991. The treaty legally binds both nations to share information about nuclear facilities covered under its provisions on January 1 of each calendar year, with the first such exchange taking place on January 1, 1992.
The latest exchange occurs against the backdrop of one of the most delicate phases in India-Pakistan relations. On April 22, 2025, Pakistan-sponsored terrorists attacked tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, killing 26 innocent civilians. This triggered a rapid military escalation that brought the nuclear-armed neighbors to the brink of broader conflict.
In response to the Pahalgam massacre, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 6-7, 2025, conducting precision strikes against nine terrorist bases operating in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Indian armed forces targeted training camps and launch pads belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen, including a facility in Bahawalpur located 100 km inside Pakistani territory. Pakistan attempted retaliatory strikes, which were largely thwarted by India’s air defense systems, leading to intense cross-border shelling that killed 16 Pakistani civilians.
Following four days of escalating military action, a ceasefire was negotiated on May 10, 2025. Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations approached his Indian counterpart to request cessation of hostilities, which both sides agreed to implement. However, the animosity persists, with Indian leadership declaring a “new normal” in its strategic doctrine, where any future terror attack would be considered an “act of war” warranting direct military response against terrorist infrastructure.
The nuclear installations agreement serves as both a practical information-sharing mechanism and a crucial psychological and legal deterrent. By maintaining this annual exchange even during periods of active military confrontation, both sides demonstrate adherence to international norms and bilateral treaties concerning nuclear security. The pact ensures that in any potential conflict scenario, each nation possesses verified information about the location of the other’s nuclear facilities, reducing the risk of accidental targeting and unintended nuclear escalation.
Despite the current hostilities and the suspension of several other bilateral agreements, including the Indus Waters Treaty, the continuation of this 35-year-old practice signals a baseline commitment to nuclear risk reduction. However, US think tanks have warned of a “moderate likelihood” of renewed armed conflict in 2026 due to heightened terrorist activity, underscoring the fragility of the current deterrence framework.
