The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stated that discussions with Sri Lanka are at early stages on a potential IMF loan programme, and that any deal would require adequate assurances that Sri Lanka's debts can be put on a sustainable path.

IMF Sri Lanka Mission Chief Masahiro Nozaki said that "an IMF-supported programme should be designed to resolve Sri Lanka's acute balance of payments problems and put the economy back on a sustainable growth path as early as possible," in a statement made to Reuters.

The statement was made after protests in Rambukkana, Sri Lanka, turned deadly with at least 1 killed and several injured after police opened fire on protestors.

IMF's annual economic review last month determined that Sri Lanka's public debt was unsustainable, and that the country needs to act on debt sustainability prior to any IMF lending, including the emergency Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI).