Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday said the crisis-hit island is all set to call China, India and Japan to a donor conference to drum up more foreign assistance to find a way out of its worsening economic crisis. This comes amid the ongoing talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The island nation, with 22 million people, is struggling with its worst financial crisis in seven decades, unable to import essentials including food, fuel and medicines because of a severe shortage of foreign exchange.

Also read: Sri Lanka troops open fire at protesters over petrol, diesel supply

The dearth of basic necessities and spiralling inflation has stroked public unrest, pushing Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government to redouble efforts to bring in assistance from the likes of the IMF and friendly countries.

Also read: Why a ‘Stop Adani’ protest is being planned in Sri Lanka

Addressing the Parliament, Wickremesinghe said, “We need the support of India, Japan and China who have been historic allies. We plan to convene a donor conference with the involvement of these countries to find solutions for Sri Lanka’s crisis.”

Also read: Sri Lanka troops open fire at protesters over petrol, diesel supply

“We will also seek help from the US,” he said.

On Thursday, a high-level delegation from India will arrive for talks on additional support from New Delhi, and a team from the US Treasury will visit next week.

So far, India has provided around $3 billion worth of assistance, including a $400 million swap and credit lines totalling $1.5 billion.

Also read: With no new supplies, Sri Lanka announces day off as fuel runs out

China, which has traditionally jostled with New Delhi for influence over the Indian Ocean island, is considering an appeal from Sri Lanka to renegotiate the terms of a yuan-denominated swap worth $1.5 billion to fund essential imports.