Question

In which year, India and Pakistan signed the agreement to not attack nuclear installations and facilities of each other?

• A. 1974
• B. 1988
• C. 1998
• D. 2014

Hint:

This 1988 Agreement is the reason why every January 1st, you see news reports about India and Pakistan exchanging lists of their nuclear sites.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: As two nuclear-armed neighbors with a history of conflict, India and Pakistan have signed several Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) to prevent accidental nuclear war and ensure the security of their atomic infrastructure.

Step 1: The Non-Nuclear Aggression Agreement.
The *Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities* was signed on December 31, 1988. The agreement was signed by Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto during a summit in Islamabad.

Step 2: Annual Exchange of Lists.
A unique and surviving feature of this treaty is that both countries are required to inform each other of the nuclear installations and facilities to be covered by the agreement on the first of January of every calendar year. This tradition has continued uninterrupted despite periods of high tension and several military standoffs.

Step 3: Security Significance.
This treaty is considered one of the most successful bilateral CBMs. It aims to prevent any military action that could lead to a catastrophic radiation leak, ensuring that even in the event of a conventional war, nuclear sites remain "off-limits."