ISLAMABAD, Jan 19 Indian troops opened unprovoked firing from across the Line of Control near Rawalakot in the Keller sector on Tuesday, killing two soldiers.

A spokesman for the Inter-Services Public Relations said that one of the soldiers died on the spot and the other during evacuation.

He said the firing which started at 130pm continued for more than two hours.

It was the second incident of unprovoked firing by India in two days, the first across the Pakistan-India border in Sialkot on Monday.

The last incident of firing from the LoC had taken place in June 2008 in which four Pakistani soldiers lost their lives and another three were injured.

It was the first incident of cross-border firing causing casualties since Indian Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor's statement about India's capability to simultaneously wage war with Pakistan and China.

Pakistan lodged a formal protest with India and demanded an urgent flag meeting between Pakistan Rangers and India's Border Security Force.

Defence analysts here say that while India cannot afford a misadventure against China it has started testing Pakistan's patience.

They are of the opinion that reckless statements emanating from New Delhi followed by such irresponsible actions can jeopardise peace and security in the region. They said that recent acts of ceasefire violation by India were clearly linked to the threat hurled by the Indian army chief.