New Delhi, Delhi, India

US sanctions on Iran and Russia have caused anxieties around the world, and India is no exception.

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The country is dependent on Iranian oil and Russian defence hardware. Even as India weighs its options, America's NATO ally Turkey says it will buy oil from Iran and defence equipment from Russia in defiance of US sanctions.

Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a meeting on the margins of the NATO summit that, ''I tried to buy from my allies. I wanted to buy from the US for the last 10 years It didn’t work. I couldn’t buy from NATO allies, so Russia gave me the best proposal. and now I’m buying from Russia.”

Sakir Torunlar, Turkey's envoy to India also echoed the same view when he said "As, during the past sanctions period, Turkey never followed unilateral sanctions... like India, only with united nations security council sanctions... I don't think Turkey will change position a sit never had prior to 2015 period."

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The Turkish envoy was referring to Indian foreign minister's comments.

''Our policy is very clear. We only honour United Nations sanctions. We do not honour country-specific sanctions. Even the last time when the US sanctions were imposed on Iran, we carried on with our trade ties with Iran,'' said Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj recently in Delhi. 

The US, which wants India to reduce its Iranian oil imports to zero, has threatened punitive action against India and Turkey.

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Meanwhile. the first installment of sanctions kicks in on August 6. Remaining sanctions to take effect from November 4 which will target Iran's banking and energy sectors. 

Russia is India's mainstay when it comes to defence procurement. For Turkey, Russia is a key player in neighbouring Syria which makes Erdogan and Modi unlikely allies.