Islamabad: In the midst of continuing tensions between India and Pakistan over the issue of cross-border terrorism, both the countries on January 1 exchanged lists of nuclear installations under a special agreement, which prohibited them from attacking each other's nuclear facilities.

Pakistan has handed over its list of the nuclear installations to senior Indian diplomat Vikram Misri in Islamabad on January 1, while India handed over its list to a Pakistani diplomat in New Delhi.

Misri said the Pakistani list has been handed to him by director of India desk at the Pakistan's foreign office, Aziz Ahmed Khan on January 1 morning.

This was the 11th year in succession both the countries exchanged lists ever since the agreement was ratified in 1991.

The agreement signed in 1998 was aimed at preventing the two sides from attacking the nuclear installations during the times of war to prevent nuke materials from spreading around.

Pakistan list reportedly contained six installations, most of the nuclear power plants, while India in the past listed 11 of its nuclear installation.

Under the agreement reached in 1998, both the countries annually exchanged fresh lists containing the locations of nuclear installations.

The agreement came under severe test in 2002 when the two countries were poised for a military show down following the attack on the Parliament in December 2001. But despite the raising tensions the two countries complied with the agreement and exchanged the lists.

This year the two countries exchanged the lists under a more relaxed atmosphere as the troops mobilised at the borders were being withdrawn.

PTI