Question

In which specific year did India and Pakistan sign a historic bilateral agreement explicitly committing both nations not to target or attack each other's nuclear installations and facilities?

• A. \( 1972 \)
• B. \( 1988 \)
• C. \( 1998 \)
• D. \( 1999 \)

Hint:

While open nuclear testing took place in 1998, the agreement protecting nuclear facilities was actually signed a decade earlier, in 1988, during a period of active bilateral diplomacy.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: Bilateral treaties and trust-building measures form an essential part of India's neighborhood relations and South Asian regional security topics.

Step 1: Identify the signing year of the nuclear agreement. The Non-Nuclear Aggression Agreement is a bilateral treaty signed by Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on December 31, 1988. It entered into force in January 1991, requiring both nations to exchange a list of their nuclear installations on the first of January each year to reduce accidental escalation risks.

Step 2: Review other significant treaty years to avoid confusion.
• 1972: The Simla Agreement was signed following the 1971 war.
• 1998: Both nations conducted open nuclear tests (Pokhran-II and Chagai-I).
• 1999: The Lahore Declaration was signed, which was followed by the Kargil conflict.