Two Pakistani troops were killed during an hours-long clash with Indian border guards, the Pakistani army said Thursday.
The fresh round of shelling and firing continued from late Wednesday night to Thursday morning at different points of the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border that divides the disputed Kashmir valley between the hostile neighbors.
India's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt General Ranbir Singh said India had carried out a "surgical strike" to stop attempted infiltration over the LoC.
Pakistan's army however called the shelling unprovoked and it had responded "befittingly" along the border, near the villages of Bhimber, Kel and Lipa.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned "Indian aggression" and said while his country wanted regional peace, it was prepared to respond to any attacks.
The battle followed heightened tensions in recent weeks after the killing of 18 Indian soldiers at their base in Indian-held Kashmir two weeks ago, which India blamed on Pakistan.
The two neighbors have fought three wars -- two of them over Kashmir -- since 1947 and Islamabad last Tuesday warned it would not refrain from using its nuclear arsenal in case of war with India.
Pakistan and India often trade fire in Kashmir, which is split between the two countries and claimed by both in its entirety.
The incident comes a day after Pakistan said India will "disintegrate" when Kashmir gains independence.
India is trying to isolate Pakistan diplomatically after a recent militant attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed 18 Indian soldiers. New Delhi blames a Pakistan-based militant group for the attack. Pakistan denies that.
