Six Kashmiri militants were shot dead by Indian soldiers in a gun battle on Saturday.

The firefight happened 40 kilometres south of Srinagar, Kashmir's summer capital.

It comes just days ahead of Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Pakistan to review a four-year-old peace process between the two countries.

The two sides have made little progress in peace talks started in 2004 over Kashmir, which they claim in full but rule in parts.

India accuses Pakistan of arming, training and sending militants into Indian Kashmir, but Pakistan denies direct involvement saying it is an indigenous movement by the Kashmiris for self-determination.

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