While the rise of China as an economic power is beginning to be noticed in the West, another rapidly emerging power, India, has been quietly making moves toward a constructive partnership with its old enemy Beijing.

Could an alliance between these two "Nuclear Club" nations become a lasting reality? What would be the economic and military results of such an alliance?

What makes this such an astonishing development is that China and India have had a recent history of military conflicts, starting in 1962 and 1967, with numerous skirmishes into the 1990s over ownership of the borderland.

China's armament of Pakistan (which India believes gave Pakistan its nuclear weapons capability) as well as India becoming a military client of the old Soviet Union (a rival of China) were great sources of distrust and fear between the two nations. China had also backed Pakistan during India's wars with Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir territory, while India allowed the Tibetan government-in-exile to exist there, much to China's consternation.

But in 1999 China declared itself neutral in the Kashmir dispute, making an important gesture to India. And since 2003 India has reciprocated by turning over new Tibetan refuge seekers and escapees to the Chinese government.

These and other diplomatic efforts have allowed India and China to become important business partners.

"It is in this context that the interactions between India and China have resulted in increasing mutual trust making India the largest trading partner of China from South Asia since 1993," said Indian political commentator, Dr. Swaran Singh (in.rediff.com/news/2002/oct/28chin.htm).

Both India and China supply cheap labor to U.S. companies seeking to outsource their production and customer service. An economic alliance could have powerful effects on the markets. China, in particular, is flooding the United States with inexpensive goods, much to the long-term detriment of the U.S. economy.

Militarily, China has the largest active-duty army in the world. The United States is second, but India is third, and also has the world's seventh-largest navy. An Indian alliance with China would make them the undisputed superpower in Asia!

One reason for this shift in alliances can be attributed to the post-9/11 world and the radical Islamic revolution. Both countries have large Muslim minorities. Another is that China has as its goal to overtake the United States as the world's superpower, and cooperation with India would further that objective.

Bible prophecy warns of a future great army of 200 million (Revelation 9:13-16). Could this be the beginning of that enormous military buildup?

Sources: Rediff.com (Mumbai, India); Asia Times Online (Hong Kong).