The army reported that four soldiers were slain in a shooting at a military base on the Indian border of Punjab early Wednesday morning and that the shooters were being sought.

Unknown numbers of shooters were on the loose at the Bathinda city base, a defence source told Reuters, declining to be identified due to the situation's sensitivity.

According to an army statement, four personnel died from gunshot wounds sustained in the early morning hours of Wednesday. The report did not refer to the incident's circumstances or other specifics regarding its perpetrator.

A senior police official in Punjab, S.P.S. Parmar, told Reuters that the incident occurred in a canteen and was not a terrorist attack.

The base was cordoned off, and a joint investigation with the local police was underway, according to an army statement. No other injuries or property damage were reported.

"All aspects, including the possible case of involvement of an (assault) rifle along with 28 rounds reported missing two days back, are being ascertained," the army stated.

Visuals from ANI, a partner of Reuters, depicted barricades set on the road outside the military station's gates and security personnel stationed outside the perimeter wall.

An earlier army statement stated that the incident occurred at 4:35 a.m. (2305 GMT Tuesday).

Located approximately 280 kilometres (175 miles) north-northwest of New Delhi, the military base primarily shelters the families of soldiers. The Pakistani frontier is about 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of Bathinda.