Clashes Continue Between India And Pakistan Amid Calls For Calm

An Indian Air Force MiG-21 performs at an air display (Picture: PA).

India and Pakistan exchanged gunfire through the night in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, a day after Islamabad said it shot down two Indian warplanes and captured a pilot.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, although jet fighters roared over the mountainous region as villagers along the so-called 'Line of Control' fled to safety.

Members of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party have called for more military action, suggesting the conflict could worsen.

Pakistan's Prime Minister, Imran Khan, called for talks between the two nuclear-armed rivals in a televised address on Wednesday, saying:

"Considering the nature of the weapons that both of us have, can we afford any miscalculation?"

World powers have called on the nations to de-escalate the tensions gripping the contested region since a February 14 suicide car bombing killed more than 40 Indian paramilitary personnel.

India responded with an air strike on Tuesday inside Pakistan, the first such raid since the two nations' 1971 war over territory that later became Bangladesh.

India acknowledged one of its MiG-21s, a Soviet-era fighter jet, was "lost" in skirmishes with Pakistan and that its pilot was "missing in action".

The country also said it shot down a Pakistani plane, something Islamabad denied.

Pakistan's military later circulated a video of a man who identified himself as the Indian pilot, sipping tea and responding to questions, mostly by saying: "You know I can't answer that."

He appeared in good health as he was questioned about his home town, his aircraft and his mission.

Indian and Pakistani officials reported small-arms fire and shelling along the Kashmir region into Thursday.

Indian army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand described the intensity of the firing as "lesser" than previous nights.

The UK said it is working with allies and other members of the UN Security Council to find a way to calm the situation.

The Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, said:

"You have two nuclear powers who have a long history of tension squaring up against each other and now the start of some kind of military conflict. It's an extremely dangerous situation."

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for talks with Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to address the situation.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence from Britain and partition in 1947, two of them over Kashmir.