NEW DELHI: India on Thursday claimed it foiled an attempted cyber-attack by Chinese hackers targeting its power distribution system near a disputed frontier where the two countries are engaged in a military stand-off. Ties between the world’s two most populous nations are at a low ebb after a deadly skirmish in the Himalayan region of Ladakh that left at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead in 2020.

“Two attempts by Chinese hackers were made to target electricity distribution centres near Ladakh but were not successful,” power minister R.K. Singh told reporters in New Delhi. Singh added that India had deployed “defence systems” to counter such attacks.

New Delhi’s claim came a day after US-based intelligence firm Recorded Future said suspected Chinese hackers had made at least seven attempts to target Indian power infrastructure in recent months.