The attackers are thought to belong to the Mai Mai militia group, blamed for contributing to the violence that has disrupted the region for years.

A group of five Congolese civilians came to the base, operated by the UN's peacekeeper mission, known as Monusco, in the town of Kirumba.

"They asked the post for assistance. While they were engaging the guard in conversation, a group of approximately 50 rebels attacked the post from the surrounding jungle," an Indian army statement said.

The soldiers opened fire and drove the rebels away, but not before three Indian soldiers were killed and seven wounded, it added.

Nearly 4,000 Indian army soldiers are part of the UN Congo peacekeeping mission.

Repeated rebel attacks in Congo have called into question the ability of the UN force to protect civilians.

The attack brings the number of peacekeepers killed in action to 34 since the mission began 10 years ago.

The world's largest U.N. peacekeeping mission has withdrawn 1,700 troops in recent months in response to calls from Congo's government to end the mission next year, but still supports operations against several armed groups in the east.