India, Pakistan exchange nuclear and prisoner lists after rare Dhaka contact

India and Pakistan exchanged lists of nuclear installations and prisoners held in each other’s custody on January 1, under longstanding bilateral agreements.

The annual information swap was accompanied by a subtle but symbolic high-level encounter between senior officials of both countries at a third-country event, as per a press release by the Ministry of External Affairs.

For the 35th consecutive year, India and Pakistan simultaneously shared details of their respective nuclear installations and facilities through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad. This practice stems from the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities, signed in December 1988 and operational since January 1991, which aims to build trust between the two nuclear-armed neighbours by reducing the risks of misunderstandings or conflict concerning sensitive sites.

Officials noted that this annual exchange is part of a confidence-building mechanism that has outlived several crises, reinforcing a protocol that helps ensure each side is aware of the location and status of the other’s nuclear infrastructure.

Lists of prisoners and fishermen shared

Alongside the nuclear information , both countries also handed over updated lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen in each other’s custody, a practice laid out under the Consular Access Agreement of 2008.

India provided details of 391 civil prisoners and 33 fishermen believed to be Pakistani, while Pakistan shared information on 58 civil prisoners and 199 fishermen believed to be Indian.

In its statement, New Delhi reiterated calls for the early release and repatriation of detainees, urging Pakistan to expedite consular access for Indians held there and to ensure the welfare and safety of all prisoners pending their return home.

Since 2014, India says sustained diplomatic efforts have resulted in thousands of Indian fishermen and civilian detainees being repatriated.

First post-conflict Dhaka encounter

The exchanges came in the backdrop of another noteworthy moment. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq briefly met and shook hands in Dhaka while attending the funeral events of former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia.

Observers pointed out that it was the first direct contact between senior officials of the two countries since their military confrontation in May 2025.