NATO countries have pledged to spend big on defense, and while this move may largely appear to be a European issue, its consequences could ultimately play out in the Indo-Pacific.

Members of the world’s largest military alliance on Wednesday agreed on a spending target of 5% of gross domestic product by 2035, effectively enabling the U.S. military to shift more strategic attention and military resources to the region as it zeroes in on containing China.

But Washington's aspired pivot to the Indo-Pacific will likely only be incremental and drawn out, experts warn, as Europe moves slowly amid political fragmentation, substantial defense-industrial bottlenecks and ongoing dependence on U.S. logistical support.