In trying to usher in a greater degree of trust in dealing with nuclear issues, India and Pakistan today agreed on not setting up any missile test launch site within 40 km on either side of the international border or the Line of Control.This has been formalised through the agreement on pre-notification of ballistic missile tests that was signed by the two Foreign Secretaries today.The agreement, which is valid for the next five years, also states that the planned impact area of a missile test will not fall within 75 km of the international boundary or the LoC. Likewise, the trajectory of missile must also maintain a horizontal distance of 40 km from the boundary.The agreement, which had been finalised a little over a month ago and endorsed by the two Foreign Secretaries when they met in Islamabad earlier this month, makes it mandatory for both sides to inform each other at least 72 hours ahead of the period when the five-day launch window for a missile begins.All surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, launched from land or sea, are covered by this agreement. The pre-notification will be done by way of a special format agreed between the two countries and can be done through the respective foreign offices or the high commissions.India had also handed over a draft agreement on nuclear risk reduction measures which is now under discussion. Officials pointed out that today’s agreement is the first major step in this area after the Pokhran tests.Besides this, the two countries have also agreed on establish a communication link between the Indian Coast Guard and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency. The telephone link will be between the Directors General of the two agencies, who are authorized to exchange regular information on the following aspects:• Reporting violations of the Exclusive Economic Zone• Exchange of information on vessels and crew apprehended by either country• Co-ordination of return sea passage of vessels and crew members release by either country• Information exchange on preventing marine pollution and on notifying each other of any such incident of pollution• Information exchange on disasters and natural calamities as well as to combat smuggling and illicit trafficking of drugs• Co-ordination on search and rescue missionsThe two heads of the respective agencies will also meet once a year to review implementation of the treaty. This agreement is also valid for five years and would have to be renewed subsequently.
