Context Cold war Effective 1 January 1991 | Location Islamabad, Pakistan | |
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Type Strategic Nuclear reduction, control and avoidance of subsequent nuclear conflicts Drafted November 30, 1988 (1988-11-30) Signed December 21, 1988; 28 years ago (1988-12-21) | ||
The Non-nuclear aggression agreement is a bilateral and nuclear weapons control treaty between the two South Asian states, India and Pakistan, on the reduction (or limitation) of nuclear arms and pledged not to attack or assist foreign powers to attack on each's nuclear installations and facilities. The treaty was drafted in 1988, and signed by the Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her Indian counterparts, Rajiv Gandhi on 21 December 1988; it entered into force on January 1991.
The treaty barred its signatories to carry out a surprise attack (or to assist foreign power to attack) on each other's nuclear installations and facilities. The treaty provides a confidence-building security measure environment and refrained each party from "undertaking, encouraging, or participating in,directly or indirectly, any action aimed at causing destruction or damage to any nuclear installation or facility in each country". Starting in January 1992, India and Pakistan have annually exchanged lists of their respective civilian nuclear-related facilities.
Historical context
In a memoirs written by Pakistani scientist and theorist Munir Ahmad Khan, Pakistan had to be mindful of blatant attack on Pakistan's nuclear installations by its eastern competitor, India. The Israeli Air Force surprise attack (See: Opera) on Iraqi nuclear program had crippled Iraq's nuclear weapons pursuit. Suspicions raised in Pakistan about the parallel attack akin to Opera might be undertaken by Indian Air Force.
Foreign service officer Abdul Sattar maintained that the hectic discussions used to take place at the Foreign Office between the Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, and Science in Islamabad over this issue each day. The ISI was convinced with the Indian attacks and the government was equally paranoid to the fact that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had ordered to prepare contingency plans for an attack under the codename "Attack on Kahuta". Though, Munir Ahmad Khan's approached to his Indian counterparts at IAEA had neutralize the Indian air force attacks, both countries had continued security developments around their facilities. In 1986-87, the massive exercise, Brasstacks was carried out by the Indian Army, raising the fears of Indian attack on Pakistan's nuclear facilities. Since then, the Foreign ministries of both countries had been negotiating to reach an understanding towards the control of nuclear weapons.
After the 1988 general elections, Prime minister Benazir Bhutto extended the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. On 21 December 1988, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi paid a state visit to Pakistan and met with Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in Islamabad. Further discussion brought the negotiations to an end on 21 December 1988, in Islamabad, when Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Prime minister Rajiv Gandhi signed the "Non-Nuclear Attack Agreement". The treaty was ratified by the parliaments of India and Pakistan on ratified on January 27, 1991. The exchanged the first lists of India Pakistan's nuclear installations was swapped between two nations on January 1, 1992.