The most severe incident between the two nuclear-armed countries in almost two years saw Indian soldiers injured in a recent battle with Chinese forces along the disputed Himalayan frontier, according to India's defense minister on Tuesday.

A face-off and physical altercation took place on December 9 that "led to injuries to a few personnel on both sides," according to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, after soldiers from the People's Liberation Army approached the fictitious border in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, in the easternmost state of India, which shares a border with China.

Addressing the Indian parliament on Tuesday, Singh said Chinese troops crossed into Indian territory and “unilaterally changed the status quo,” adding that after soldiers from both sides withdrew quickly, local commanders met on Dec. 11 to discuss the incident.

“The Chinese side was asked to refrain from such actions and maintain peace and tranquility along the border. The issue has also been taken up with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels,” Singh added.

No Indian soldiers were killed or seriously wounded, the minister said, although he did not give details on the number of soldiers involved in Friday’s confrontation.

Meanwhile, the Chinese government has so far stayed quiet about the incident.